Whirlpools Among the Eddies
by CRed1988
Summary: Leaves spiral in the soft eddy as Naruto meets Karin in the Forest of Death. From that moment on, the two bearing the Clan name carried with them the fate of the Uzumaki and would be forever entwined.
1. Chapter 1

**"S-SOMEONE, HELP!"** Karin Uzumaki screamed unreservedly as she fled across the grass and root-strewn floor of the Forest of Death with a fake scroll in her hands. **"SHIGERI! KOTSU! ANYONE!"**

The only answer she received was the stalwart silence of the trees, which was drowned out by the bear's growls as they grew even more haggard from the chase. Shigeri and Kotsu, her teammates for the exam, left her die after they had purposely aggravated the bear with two kunai. Then they left her to stand there and become the target of its rage, hoping that someone else would come by.

They hoped someone would see her, a young girl with red hair and glasses, and save her from the bear. Only for them to swoop down afterwards and steal their scroll, rewarding their heroism with knives in the back. So much for that famous Hidden Grass diplomacy she'd heard about.

She told them it was a stupid plan. They were in the middle of a competition. People died during these things, and they were warned ahead of time what kind of place it was. No one would save her, and she had already been tired from the non-stop running to this point.

The Forest of Death could give even the Great Forest of Kusa, where the enriched earth and sun-blotting canopy allowed the mushrooms and fungi to rival the height of buildings, a decent run in how savage it was. Sure, it had snakes and poisonous lizards. But at least it didn't have freaking tigers, or giant centipedes, or leeches that tried to suck you dry, or goddamn bears that wouldn't quit chasing her!

Damn it, if she had known this would have happened she would have… well, she would have done it anyway. Orochimaru had laid the groundwork for getting her into the Hidden Grass village a year ago, leaving her to act as a spy and help him with whatever plan he had for the Hidden Leaf village this year. She knew the price of failure, and that her worth was only because she was still useful.

It had been two years now since that day. The small village where she and her mother lived ended up being attacked while she was out in a nearby field. She sensed them coming, along with the almost palpable bloodlust and eagerness, and how some of them stood out by having more chakra than the others.

It scared her. To have that malevolence, that revelry of the dark nature of mankind, touch her mind at such a young age without realizing what was happening left her terrified, clawing at her head to get it to go away. Then the screams from the village reached her ears as the blood began to soak the earth and flames ran wild.

She ended up hiding, crying as the tears mixed with the ashes until it was all over the next morning. Her mother hadn't made it. No one else had.

The path through the field to another village was long, leaving her cold and tired as her power seemed to flicker on and off. By the time she made it, she couldn't muster the energy to resist even as men threatened to take her and sell her into slavery. Nor when Orochimaru killed them and offered her a place to go since she had nowhere.

It had been luck that she had made it to this point. But her luck refused to hold out any further. It only took a single moment, where the sweat stung her eyes and forced her to blink, for her to trip over an upraised root and end up sprawled with her back against a mighty tree.

The impact stole her breath and forced it out of her throat, heated and raw. She was left staring down the eyes of the maddened bear, angered by the pair of kunai wedged in its back and worked up by the chase. It was going to kill her.

 _"H-help…"_ Her plea was near-silent as the bear opened its mouth and revealed the stained fangs from a recent meal, matted with bits of meat and strings of saliva. She realized she was going to die….

 **"BANNNZZZAAAIIII!"** screamed innumerable voices, a chorus that came from above. It drew both the bear and Karin's gaze, whereupon they witnessed a rain of blonde-haired, orange-jumpsuit wearing boys descending. The group piled on the bear, hanging off of its larger and looming figure as it swiped at them and shook desperately to remove them.

Karin felt a hand grasping her shoulder and jumped. She looked to her right to see another one of the boys, reaching for her arm. "What are—"

"Come on!" He threw her over his shoulder and sped off, foot glowing with the illumination of chakra as he darted from trunk to branch. He carried her some distance away from the bear, leaving her to watch as the last of his doppelgangers removed the kunai in the back of the bear and then vanished in a puff of smoke.

It was only after the bear, which seemingly glared in their direction for a moment, trotted off that she breathed freely... and then remembered that she was not in the safe comfort of her asshole teammates, but a complete stranger from a rival village. She was being taken hostage!

"L-Let me go!" she said, slamming the bottom of her fists and the scroll against the small of his back while flailing her legs. "Release me this instant!"

"Hey, don't struggle so much!" The effort seemed at best to annoy him as he came to a stop and set her down against the crook of a tree limb. He pouted as he scratched his head. "Geez, was that the thanks I get for helping out?"

Karin reached for a kunai and held it out defensively, clutching the false scroll to her chest with trembling fingers. She had to sell the impression that it was real. "I won't let you have it!"

The blonde hair boy held his hands up next to his head harmlessly. "Hold on, I don't want your scroll. Besides, my team already has the Earth Scroll."

The mention of a team set her mind to high alert. Was this an ambush spot? Where were they hiding? She couldn't take her eyes off of him, otherwise he'd disarm and capture her, but she could spread her Mind's Eye out and sense anyone hiding nearby.

The range seemed to only improve when she was riled up, afraid. She could feel the chakra surrounding them within a larger range than before. There was no one besides him, a strange and warm chakra that reminded her of… her mother's.

"You can put that thing down now," the boy said, tilting his head. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"If you…." She swallowed, trying to calm her heart as it hammered in her chest from the chase. "If you don't want my scroll, then why did you save me?"

"You called for help, right?" She nodded. "Well, Sasuke and I had played a round of Janken to decide who would go in what direction and I lost. So I went this way and heard you screaming. When I saw that the bear was going to get you, I called up a bunch of Shadow Clones to drop down while I went down the side of the tree and around to where you were."

He demonstrated by making a hand seal and she felt his chakra split in half. It literally split in half as another one of him came into existence, virtually identical in terms of chakra amount and type. Had she not been in front of him she would have no clue which was the real one.

He dispersed the clone, the chakra immediately retuning to him. "Anyway, you're okay now… umm…"

"Karin," she told him, naturally still wary of the situation. Why was he being so good-natured? Could he not see her headband was different than his?

"Oh, that's a pretty name," he said, grinning and pointing a thumb to himself. "I'm Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki!"

Her head seemed to become cloudy and hazed at the mention. That name was… it was her clan's name. But that should have been impossible. Why….

Karin stiffened when she felt two familiar chakra signatures approaching. Shigeri and Kotsu. Of course they'd pop up now, of all times. They'd no doubt try to jump him and, while she didn't know how the fight would go since he could clone himself, she didn't want him to lose.

If they managed to beat him, they'd probably take him and his scroll as leverage against other teams to get what they wanted. She was fairly sure he was slow on the uptake, a good-hearted rube if anything, but… yeah, she couldn't let him get caught by those jerks. Even if they had better odds that way, she just wouldn't be responsible for that—especially if he was who he said he was.

It wasn't like she even cared about passing the exams anyway. "Leave!"

He blinked. "Huh?"

"Get out of here!" She held her kunai up and stepped towards him. "Go back to your team! Now!"

"Okay, okay." He did as he was told, jumping from the tree limb they were on to another in the distance. He looked back towards her a final time before departing for good, disappearing in a Body Flicker. She felt him heading in the opposite direction until he was outside her range.

Karin breathed easier, even as the two older boys landed less than ten seconds later. She wheeled around and faced them. "Where were you two when that bear was attacking me?"

"Sticking to the plan," Kotsu said, unashamed. "Worst case, we'd have gotten you out."

"Bullshit!" She threw the fake scroll towards Shigeri, who caught it without blinking. "That bear was seconds away from tearing me apart and you didn't do anything! You bastards left me to die!"

"The plan worked," Shigeri said. "Or it would have if you managed to stall him for another few seconds!"

"He didn't even have his Scroll on him." She crossed her arms. "And his team had the same one as ours. Did you even think about that when you came up with this plan?"

"We still could have taken him as leverage."

"If you thought you could, then you cowards would have tried to get him when all those clones popped up! Don't blame me when I didn't even want to go through with this stupid plan in the first place!" Karin jumped and skirted down the trunk of the tree. She didn't want to be around them any longer than she had to, and she got the feeling that it was mutual between them.

Besides, she had other things on her mind. That boy said he was an Uzumaki, the same clan as hers. She wanted to know more about that…

But first she had to get through this damn forest alive.

 **[0-0-0]**

Karin's thoughts about the Uzumaki boy continued until the final day came. They failed the second portion of the exam because they didn't find a Heaven Scroll in time, but Karin didn't care. Why should she when they didn't care about her enough to refrain from using her as bait?

Those two had already left, mentioning how they would let their Jounin know she didn't play along. Karin decided to wait there until she saw Kabuto arriving at the entrance of the underground path back to the village. His own teammates had chosen to remain behind for preliminary matches in the arena and would join once they were settled. She steeled herself and walked up alongside him when there was no one in sight and no cameras.

"What is it?" he asked, short and to the point.

 _"Mmm…"_ She struggled to ask him because, quite frankly, Kabuto scared her. He was Orochimaru's right-hand for a reason. She'd watched him kill a man with no visible wounds, animate his body, and then sent him on a civilian-killing spree to frame a group of shinobi without batting an eyelid once. "Do you have information on a boy who entered the exams, a 'Naruto Uzumaki' he called himself?"

He gave her a side-glance in idle curiosity before nodding his head once. His hand slipped into his pouch and he pulled out a single card, pouring a trickle of chakra into it to activate the ink and data stored within it. "There."

She held the card with both of her hands, finding them trembling as she read the data. He was about a year or so younger than her, but that really was his name. And, now that she thought about it, didn't that orange jumpsuit have their clan symbol on it?

Why was his hair blonde then? Maybe he was half-blooded and the traits of his not-Uzumaki parent became dominant? The card listed him an orphan though. Did… did he lose his parents like she did?

She had so many question, and yet no answers. But that was fine. She could find him in the village now that she had felt his chakra. Given how quick he was to talk, he would probably be willing to talk to her about being from the same clan despite being from different villages.

"Get ready to move once you get back to the village," Kabuto told her, breaking her line of thought. Figures. "The dead members of the Hidden Grass that Orochimaru replaced were found and word will have been sent. The village will be recalling all their shinobi since none of them made it to the finals. You'll head back to the seventeenth base once you cross the border and await further orders."

So she was being recalled. It made sense, though it would put a damper on her plans. "What about the three I came with?"

"They'll be taken care of along the way." He adjusted his glasses, shifting the glare of light off of them. "I have a corpse that'll pass as you as well. Three dead Genin and a Jounin in the wake of the Chuunin Exams won't draw too much attention."

She wished she could say that the death of her teammates and leader would bother her, but she couldn't. There was no attachment. Not to them or the village. There wouldn't be much of a point when she was there as an infiltrator in the first place. The fact that they were jerks only softened it further.

But, if she was heading back to the base and faking her death, she wouldn't see that boy again. A possible link to her clan was right in front of her, and if she left it would be gone forever. Karin couldn't just let that slide.

"Is…" She trailed off when he looked her in the eyes. It took a deep breath to muster her courage. "Is it possible I can stay in the village for reconnaissance or another assignment?"

"That's not in the plan," he said, plucking the card from her hands and holding it up to the light. "But I'll contact _him_ and see what his opinion is on the matter. My own cover wasn't blown, so who knows what we could do between now and the plan's fruition."

That was probably the best response she could hope for as he walked ahead.

 **[0-0-0]**

Karin was awoken in the middle of the night by the feeling of scales scraping against her bare legs in her room in the Inn. She pulled back the covers and found a white snake there, maybe three feet in length. The only reason she didn't scream was because her sensory power kicked in the moment she was woken and picked up traces of Orochimaru's chakra composing it.

The snake coiled up and then stuck its head high, flicking its black tongue that contrasted the pale scales. Its eyes found hers, and a voice followed as it opened its mouth. _"He has approved your request, child."_

Karin sat up properly, tucking her bare legs beneath her and placing her glasses on her face before resting her hands on her knees. "He has?"

The snake bobbed its head once. _"That Uzumaki boy is the Jinchuuriki of this village. He houses within him the Nine-Tailed Fox. It should be said that he has an… interest in retrieving him."_

"Is that right?" She had a basic understanding what a Jinchuuriki was. After all, she and Kabuto had been given clear orders to avoid that Gaara boy from Suna like the plague. And she damn well knew why considering what she felt from him.

But Naruto was different. Even though she was still growing adept at using her power, he seemed to teem with Yang chakra, vitality and life. He was like a warm sun onto himself, just like her mother was before she died. That meant the seal holding it in must've been superior to the other boy's.

The snake opened its mouth wider, unhinging its jaw so that a scroll could come out of its mouth. Karin reached over to the nightstand where she had a cloth to clean her glasses and used it on the scroll before opening it. The snake patiently waited until she had done so before it continued.

 _"The boy's status as a Jinchuuriki is known amongst the adults of the village. He has been ostracized because of it. He is eager for bonds, the kind that can be exploited by your clans being one in the same. You will use that to get him into a position where he can be claimed during the impending plans."_

She went over the information on the scroll. It had his grades, close associates, a rough schedule of his activities up to the Chuunin Exam, a list of pranks he pulled, and more. It had to be Kabuto's doing. That man really did scare her.

"But the Jounin told us that we'd be leaving tomorrow," Karin told the snake. "What will be done about that?"

 _"You will convince them to leave you behind while they go ahead,"_ the snake said. _"State that you will do reconnaissance into the Exams and the Finals, to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of the other villages, on your own. Kabuto will supply the information in your place, leaving you to arrange for the Jinchuuriki to be taken."_

So that gave her a month to get to know him and more about their clan. It shouldn't be too hard if what she was reading was right. "I think I can do it by then."

 _"Be warned. This will interfere with the immediate plan to take the Uchiha in hopes of obtaining them both at a later date. If you fail, you will be punished severely. Your talents make you valuable, but there are… other fates worse than death. He does not wish for this, but an example will be made. Do you understand?"_

She swallowed, a drop of sweat running down her brow at the very real threat. He could render her brain-dead, or lock her up into a vat to be used as a tool rather than a person. Or hand her over to Kabuto and let him get creative.

"I… I understand," she told it.

 _"Then, there is one more matter that needs to be attended to."_ It uncoiled and slithered around to the sole of her feet. _"Cover your mouth now. This will be… painful."_

She barely got her hands over her mouth as the snake lashed out and bit her in the sole of her left foot, where the heel bone rested just above. Pain unlike anything she'd ever known attacked her, unholy agony ran through her leg, carving its way up from her heel to her knee. The scream that wanted nothing more that to come out remained muffled by the mattress and sheets as she collapsed with tears in her eyes onto the bed, only able to endure the agony while the snake impassively watched on as the seal formed of poison and blood etched itself onto her.

Karin had been marked.


	2. Chapter 2

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Another Note: I have decided to not post the review here from now on. Too much space.**

 **Enjoy!**

Karin's leg still felt sore when morning came. The snake had disappeared sometime after she had passed out. Her team had left her behind without much trouble not even an hour ago, heading back to their village. The Jounin had made it clear that she was responsible for her own actions and, if caught, they would claim she was acting of her own accord and leave her to her fate.

She already knew that, of course. From this point on, she would have no contact with them or Orochimaru to avoid suspicion on any level. Kabuto would handle the reports being sent to the Hidden Grass and would only contact her on his own accord or Orochimaru's orders, meaning she was on her own for all intents and purposes.

Now she walked down the streets of the Hidden Leaf while dressed in a pair of shorts, sandals, and a long-sleeved red shirt. The scroll with all the information compiled on Naruto Uzumaki, which was stored safely away from prying eyes, had stated he often visited a local Ramen vendor for his meals. That was where she was heading.

It would be the best place to tell him about them being born of the same clan. The people there were the only ones who he had emotional ties to without being shinobi, making it a safe place where he could escape from the cloak-and-dagger nature of their work. It was a place where the revelation would have the most impact.

The smell of ramen broth coming from the opposite end of an alley told her she was close. It also caused a pang of hunger to bubble up in her stomach. She hadn't eaten since last night, and it was well after Noon at this point.

"Welcome to Ramen Ichiraku," said an older girl in greeting as Karin passed through the entrance. She was at least close to being an adult, dressed in a white apron with a matching bandana in her long, dark brown hair. "What can I get you?"

"I'm looking for Naruto," Karin said. "Naruto Uzumaki. Do you know if he'll come in today?"

Her eyes seemed to rise in surprise at that, quickly settling into a cautious gaze. "Oh. And why exactly do you want to know that?"

"Well, the first reason is that I wanted to thank him for saving me in the Second Exam." She pulled out her Ninja ID, showing her last name. "The second is that I think we're from the same clan."

Ayame stared at the card for a moment, scrutinizing it. Then she handed it back and held up a finger. "Give me a second."

She went back into the kitchen. Not ten seconds later a large man came out, middle-aged with crow's feet around his eyes and gray-hair. Ayame lurked behind him as he approached Karin.

"So, you're saying you're part of the same clan as the boy?" He stared hard at her, rubbing his chin in thought. "Is that red hair a trait?"

"I believe so," she said. "My mother had the same hair color, but I can't say if it's the same for everyone. I'd been looking for other clan members since I became an orphan after… bad things happened. I ran into Naruto in the forest, but I didn't get a chance to talk to him with the exams going on."

"Hm. Well, take a seat and wait for him to show up." Teuchi turned to go back into the kitchen. "Ayame, make the girl something to eat while she does."

Ayame did so, setting the steaming hot bowl in front of her. "Here, on the house."

"Thank you."

"Knowing Naruto, he'll be here shortly." Ayame leaned onto the counter with her elbows and perched her head in her hands. She wore a friendly smile. "In the meantime, tell me how he saved you."

Karin gave her the details, and then answered some questions on what it was like living in the Hidden Grass. Not as bright as the Hidden Leaf, but it had its own nocturnal charm with plants that shone in the dark by expelling light in a soft glow. When the spores were scattered it was a beautiful sight, like it stardust falling from above.

While she did that, she expanded her sensory powers in anticipation. It was slow-going, waiting for him to show up. But Ayame was kind and talkative, making the time seem to pass quicker. It wasn't until Karin finished a second bowl that she picked up his chakra and turned her head towards the entrance.

Naruto popped in with his eyes closed and a big grin on his face. "I smell something good! Serve me up some of that, Ayame-nee, Teuchi-san!"

"You little _charmer_." Ayame walked over and pinched his cheek playfully. "Saving damsels-in-distress and sweeping them off their feet is all in a day's work now, huh?"

Karin's cheeks reddened from embarrassment with the way she said that. But it was true, as much as she wished otherwise. He had come in and swept her off her feet to rescue her from danger almost literally.

"Eh?" His voice was almost comical as he tried speaking while she tugged at his cheek. "What're yoush talkin' abowt?"

The older girl released him and gestured to Karin, who wiped her mouth with a napkin and cleared her throat. "Hello again, Naruto."

He pointed to her in recognition. "Ah, you're that girl from the forest."

She nodded once. "I'm glad you remember me, and that you made it through the forest safely."

"Really?" He tilted his head in confusion. "I mean, you threatened me after I helped you get away from the bear."

"I'm sorry about that," she said. "The bear you saved me from had been sent to attack me by my teammates, in order to lure someone into helping me. I didn't want you to have to fight them, so I drove you away before they could hurt you. It wouldn't have been fair, given you had saved me despite us being from different villages."

"Okay, but… that was a really dumb plan though," Naruto said. She didn't disagree. "I mean, you could have really gotten hurt. What if I hadn't helped?"

"It doesn't matter anymore," she told him. "They're gone now. No one from the Hidden Grass passed the Second Exam, so everyone packed up and left this morning. I stayed behind because I wanted to thank you, and…."

"Go on," Ayame said gently at the hesitation in her voice, while Naruto just looked puzzled. "You've waited for over an hour now. Just say it while you can."

"Let me introduce myself properly." She held one hand to her chest and extended the other for him to see the card. "My name is Karin… Karin Uzumaki, of the Uzumaki Clan."

There was a very lengthy pause after that, with his expressions shifting constantly as his eyes seesawed from her card to her face. It took him almost a minute to get the words out. "There's an Uzumaki Clan?"

"I thought you would know," Karin said. "It's fairly common knowledge that the First Hokage married Mito Uzumaki, symbolizing an alliance back when the Hidden Leaf was first formed. Just about every village's formation has been recorded, after all."

A smile of embarrassment formed on his face and he shifted his eyes off to the side. "I was never good at history… I probably missed that lesson if they covered it in the Academy."

 _"Told you,"_ Ayame said in a singsong tone, even as he looked pensive at the information. "Are you going to stand there all day, Naruto?"

"Can I sit next to you and eat while we talk?" Naruto asked Karin, scratching his cheek at the awkwardness. "That hospital food wasn't doing it for me."

"Sure." She waited for him to take a seat and place an order. He seemed bothered by the news, a shift in his day he wasn't expecting. It was better to let him start the next dialogue.

"So," he started with, "I know that a lot of clan members look the same… I mean, the Hyuuga all have the same eyes and Kiba's family has those markings. But we don't look too much alike, do we?"

"I know my mother and father had red hair similar to mine," Karin said. "I was surprised you didn't at hearing your name. If you didn't dye it, then I would have to guess one of your parents wasn't an Uzumaki and their dominant genes gave you blonde hair."

"I wouldn't know," he said. "I never knew my parents."

"Sorry," she told him, a small, sad smile forming on her face as she looked down. "I know what it's like to be an orphan myself. My father was gone before I was born, and my mother died during an attack on the small village we lived in a few years ago."

"I'm sorry for you loss," Naruto told her.

"When you told me your last name, I… I didn't know what to think." Her fingers grew restless and entwined themselves in her hair. It was surprising how easily the words came out. They weren't false or an act, but how she truly felt. "I wanted to speak with you, to meet you outside the forest and talk about… well, anything. I thought since the Hidden Leaf and our home-village were close, you'd know more."

She reached up and traced the embossed spiral symbol of the Hidden Leaf on his headband. "Mother told me that the Uzumaki Clan had been scattered, at least those that survived. She told me that the spiral, like on your back and your village's emblem, is the symbol of the Hidden Whirlpool, a sign of how close the villages were before it fell."

Naruto looked upset now, staring down into his ramen that reflected his eyes. "I didn't even know that much… You must think I really should have, if that was the case."

"Not at all." Karin kept her voice gentle. While it was true she wished he did know more, that was no reason to have him beat himself up about it. "How could I blame someone who wasn't even born during that time for not knowing anything? Besides, you saved me. I can't thank you enough for that."

"Umm, you're welcome?" He rubbed the back of his head nervously. Then his face scrunched up before settling into a smile. "Now that I think about it, I bet the Old Man would know more about this stuff. He knows just about everything."

Karin opened her mouth to ask who that was, but another voice beat her to it. "I'll be sure to ask him that after I tell him about how you disobeyed orders, Naruto."

"Uh-oh," Naruto said, almost whimpering. Karin could hear him gulp before he turned his head glacially in fear. "Ka-Kakashi-sensei... what bring you here?"

"Oh, well, you know." He set a hand on Naruto's shoulder and gave him a smile expressed through how his eye closed. "Imagine, to my surprise, when I came to visit my student in the Hospital and learned he's left through the window of his room… which he was ordered not to leave until he received further notice."

"He's not in trouble, is he?" Karin asked, somewhat worried for a number of reasons. She knew who this man was from the scroll. Even before then, he had reputation and Orochimaru had him on the list of those not to take lightly.

"Probably nothing more than a scolding and being tied down to his bed, Miss…."

"Karin," she said. "Karin Uzumaki."

"She says we're from the same clan," Naruto helpfully added.

"Ah, interesting," he said, looking at her. "But that's a matter for a later time. You'll be here for a while, yes?"

"Until the end of the Chuunin Exams," Karin admitted, looking at Naruto. She couldn't stop him from being dragged back. "I'm staying at the Petal Fall Inn. I'll come visit you in the Hospital, if you're willing to put me on the visitor's list."

"No need," Kakashi said, before Naruto could get his own words out, lifting the Genin out of his seat and onto his shoulder. It was exactly like how Naruto had done her. "He'll be released tomorrow and no doubt here, dining on the delicious, delicious ramen they sell. My compliments to both you and your father, Ayame-chan."

The older girl blushed. "T-Thanks."

"Wait, my Ramen—" Naruto's words were cut off as he and Kakashi vanished in a textbook-perfect Body Flicker. Even as Karin extended her range she could feel that he was already outside of it. The man was fast.

"Naruto's a sweet boy, but not really a conversationalist when you catch him off-guard," Ayame told her as she took his bowl and packed it into a box. "I'll go deliver this to his room at the Hospital. Do you want me to tell him anything?"

"Umm." Karin bit the inside of her lip as she tried to think of what to say. "Tell him I'll see him tomorrow, around the same time?"

"You got it." Ayame gave her a wink and then left out with the box while it was still warm.

Karin gave her thanks to the chef and promised to come again before leaving, deep in thought about everything. She didn't expect to find Kakashi in her room when she got back, leaning against a wall near the window. That… honestly shouldn't have been a surprise; Naruto was too valuable to their village as the Jinchuuriki for anything less.

"You've gone through my things, haven't you?" Karin asked. It was the first thing they taught you to do when rooting out spies and finding hidden caches.

"Of course," Kakashi said without shame. He had no need to hide what he'd done. He lived in this village, she was a guest. "No offense, but you are a kunoichi from another village. Even if the Hidden Grass isn't hostile, precautions should be taken—especially in light of what transpired during the Exams."

She was fairly sure he meant those dead Genin from her village that Orochimaru had replaced. "I'm not allowed to talk about that, even if you know."

"I have no idea what you're referring to," he lied, doing the same. Plausible deniability was a wonderful thing. "But, on the matter of Naruto, you understand we're wary about someone with clan ties suddenly appearing after he's slated to head to the Finals."

"Are you here to tell me I can't see him again?"

"Far be it for me to deny him the chance to bond with a long-lost clan member." He stood straight off the wall now. "I'm just informing you that you will be watched as a target of interest. If, at any point, you pry into secrets that you shouldn't, you'll be detained as a spy. You know the standard conduct expected when it comes to extended stays in foreign villages, correct?"

"I understand," she told him. "I'll be good."

He nodded his head once in acceptance. "I'll take my leave then."

Then he leapt out the window. Her sensory power caught him walking around to the side of the building, into the alley, and then disappearing. It must've been a Shadow Clone.

Karin sighed. She was grateful that the seal on her foot also served as a storage seal for Naruto's information. That would have been execution-worthy.

She spent a few minutes looking around to see if he left behind any sort of bug, more out of habit than necessity. It wouldn't be hard for someone experienced to have the room watched without her noticing visually. Her Mind's Eye was a different story, allowing her to sense the Anbu officer that lurked just outside her room now.

And she planned to keep that a secret for that very reason.

 **[0-0-0]**

The original Kakashi, sitting the Hokage's office, received the information from his clone right about then. "The warning has been delivered. No signs of anything in her room to suggest she's a spy."

"Good," Sarutobi said, tapping his pipe as he stood at the window and looked out at the village. "I would have hated to have to tell Naruto that she was a spy after he just learned about his clan. That will already be enough of an unpleasant conversation tomorrow."

"So, is she a spitfire like Kushina?" asked the third person in the room, Jiraiya. The Toad Sage had been ordered to return the moment they noticed Orochimaru's presence, and he'd done so quickly and dutifully through judicious use of the ability to be reverse-summoned.

"Not at a glance," Kakashi said. "Then again, Hidden Grass shinobi were always hard to read. They're diplomatic in their roots, after all… at least with us."

"Priorities, gentlemen," Sarutobi said. "Orochimaru has gone to ground and I doubt we'll find him. I have nearly the entirety of ANBU searching for him, but in the meantime we need to deal with those seals he placed on Naruto and Sasuke Uchiha."

"I'll take care of that seal he placed on Naruto the moment I'm out of here," Jiraiya told him. "From the sound of it, it was the Five Pronged Seal that's messing with his chakra flow. Fixing that won't take five minutes, but he'll need a day or so for the flow to readjust. As for the Uchiha boy, the seal Kakashi placed was the best we could do right now. If I had the chance to investigate it through an autopsy I might be able to do something, but until then he'll have to manage."

"Next is the Chuunin Exams." The Hokage turned towards his desk and extinguished the contents of his pipe. "Kakashi, you train the Uchiha so he doesn't get killed. You have the Sharingan and can help him."

"Understood," Kakashi stated. "But what of my other two students?"

"Miss Haruno can make do by mingling and learning from her peers or her parents. My priority at the moment is the two boys that Orochimaru targeted. Speaking of Naruto, Jiraiya, you came in undetected, correct?"

Jiraiya nodded.

"Good. Disguise yourself and prepare to train him, I'll leave how to your discretion." As an afterthought, he added, "No gathering 'inspiration' either, it's too much of a giveaway to your presence."

He sighed, but agreed. "Understood."

"That just leaves me then." He took a deep breath, no doubt feeling his years if Kakashi had to guess. "I'll make arrangements to have my schedule cleared for an hour or so to talk to Naruto about his mother and her clan. Let's hope he's ready to hear it."


	3. Chapter 3

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Karin made her way once more to the Ramen Ichiraku, where Naruto should be waiting for her. She was fairly sure that her cover hadn't been blown; otherwise the Anbu stationed outside her room wouldn't have been content to remain there while she slept. Under that assumption, imagine her surprise when she entered the restaurant to find Naruto glaring and grumbling heatedly at an Anbu officer sitting there.

It was a woman, with purple hair and a porcelain mask that resembled a cat with three stripes. Karin froze in place, wondering if she had been made after all and they were just waiting to get her here for some reason. It was illogical, given how much quicker and easier snatching her from her room would have been, and she knew it. But knowing how unlikely it was didn't ease her doubts.

The fear activated her Mind's Eye on instinct to find there were a few other signatures around her, one being really strong. Like as strong as Orochimaru, more or less. That was less comforting than she liked.

It was only because Naruto greeted her warmly that she didn't run away. "Karin-chan, you're here!"

"Um…" Her eyes darted between him and the Anbu officer. "Naruto, what's going on?"

He pointed at the woman petulantly. "This lady showed up and told me that I had to answer a bunch of questions and stuff before she would let me stay!"

The Anbu officer paid him no mind and instead turned to Karin. "You're not armed, are you?"

She quickly shook her head. "No, I'm a guest in a non-hostile village. I thought it would be inappropriate to walk around armed. In a worst-case scenario, I could simply call for help."

The woman seemed to take that for what it was and rose to her feet. "Make any abrupt movements and I will take the appropriate action to restrain you, understand?"

Karin nodded. "Yes, Ma'am."

She did a gesture, some sort of code that was picked up by one of the signatures. Even with the walls in the way. One of those Hyuuga people in their ranks then? Could they see the seal on her foot?

 _No_ , she figured. Orochimaru was many things, but careless wasn't one of them from what she knew. It shouldn't have a noticeable chakra signature or really draw any attention. Not as long as she kept her socks on and didn't try to hide it as anything important, if it came up.

A few seconds later, the larger signature moved towards them and spoke when just outside the restaurant booth. "Really, was that necessary?"

Naruto and the Ichiraku staff perked up at the aged voice. They recognized it. Naruto practically beamed with a smile that stretched wide as he called out, "Hey, Old Man! What's the big idea with the scary masked lady?"

The source of the voice stepped in, revealing an old man dressed in the Kage's robe with a hat that held the symbol for the 'Fire Shadow' on it. "Well, she insisted we follow proper procedure with the Chuunin Exams going on. As if someone would take an interest in an old man like myself?"

Karin's mind briefly blanked. This was the Hokage. The _Hokage_ was the Old Man that Naruto was referring to? More importantly, he called his village's most powerful shinobi that _to his face_!?

"Naruto, you can't just disrespect your village's leader by calling him that!" She grabbed his head and lowered it with her own towards the Hokage. "I'm sorry for how he addressed you! Please forgive him!"

For a moment, Karin was afraid that the sudden movement would set off the Anbu officer. However, if anything, the woman tilted her head in amusement at the sight. Had Naruto annoyed her until Karin came in?

For the Hokage's part, he laughed softly. "Ah, while Naruto could use a few lessons in manners, he's fine. I've known him since he was a baby. He's like a Grandson to me."

She released Naruto, who rubbed the back of his head and pouted. The files said the Hokage kept an eye on him, but she didn't expect it to be to this extent. If they were like family, which was a contrast to what it said about him being an outcast, it would make her mission _much_ harder when the day came.

The Hokage looked over to Ayame and Teuchi. "Good to see both of you doing well, but can we have some privacy? The matters we're about to discuss are somewhat private and involves their clan."

They complied and darted to the back of the shop. Karin felt one of the Anbu move into a position to intercept them should they try and listen in. She doubted they would though, given how he addressed them as though they were familiar too.

"Should I leave?" Karin asked. She was interested. In fact, it was the main reason she made contact with Naruto to begin with. But didn't want to offend the most powerful person in the village—curiosity was deadly when it came to shinobi.

"The decision is Naruto's," he said, taking a seat. "It has been brought to my attention that you have stirred his interest in learning about your clan, but I am here for Naruto's sake and some of the information may be private. Letting him have the agency is his right."

She didn't even have to ask before Naruto spoke up on his own accord. "Yeah, let her listen. If we're from the same clan then she should know whatever it is."

"… Thank you," Karin said earnestly, which got a smile out of him.

"So be it." The older man then looked down to Naruto and frowned a bit, the wrinkles on his face shifting as he did so. "Now, I'll be honest. What I'm going to tell you isn't a happy story, which is why I've put this off for as long as I have. And I will be keeping the identity of your father a secret. He was a shinobi who dealt with high-profile missions, and you _know_ the rules when it comes to A and S-rank secrets."

Naruto's interest was piqued. He nodded. "Don't ask question, don't say anything, basically. I know. But if we can't talk about him, then does that…."

Karin didn't blame him for trailing off. He had been an orphan and likely hadn't thought much about it. It was easier that way sometimes. She had been fortunate having a mother who could tell her that her father would have loved her unconditionally, but what assurances did he have in a village that ostracized him from what she read?

The Hokage pulled out a card and handed it to him. It was a Ninja ID card with the identification number being 007310. The picture was that of a beautiful woman with long red hair, with a bandana for the village on her forehead and a smile was on her face as she held up two fingers in a victory pose.

"Kushina… Uzumaki…" Naruto brushed the image gently. "So she's my... was my mother?"

"She died the night of your birth," the Hokage said, somberly. "Along with your father, I'm afraid. There were no other relatives left alive, no other members of the Uzumaki left to take you in since their village had been destroyed shortly after she was brought to the Hidden Leaf from the Hidden Whirlpool, during her childhood. That made you a ward of the village, but I promised her I'd look after you…. They both loved you dearly, Naruto."

"I see," he said, looking rather sad at that. He must've known on some level that was the case, but hearing it spoken probably bought up all sorts of feelings he tried to repress.

Karin still felt inclined to put a hand on his shoulder, a means of comfort. There wasn't much she could say, barring the standard condolences. And that wouldn't do him justice given what he'd learned. She knew that she didn't feel any better when others gave them to her when she mentioned her mother's death.

Naruto appreciated the gesture all the same, judging by how he looked up to her with a somewhat forced and fragile smile. "She has red hair like yours," he told her. "Only longer and pretty, like Sakura-chan's before she cut it."

Karin felt a pang of _something_ at the mention of his teammate. A copy of their team photo had been in the scroll, attached for reference with a minor outline of Kabuto's understanding of their group dynamic. It had been mentioned Naruto had a crush on her since their time in the Academy.

She brought her other hand up to her hair and fiddled with the ends as the murmur slipped out on its own. _"Give me a few more years and my hair will be long too."_

He tilted his head. "You say something?"

A small blush appeared on her face at the slip of the tongue. "Nothing, Naruto. I just mentioned your mother looks very pretty."

The Hokage, watching this with a half-interest, pulled out a map and pointed to a small island between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water. "Here is where the Hidden Whirlpool was located. It's quite distant from where we are—a factor that played a part in their destruction during the great wars. At some point after your mother arrived, they were attacked by an enemy nation and destroyed."

"But why?" Naruto asked. "It looks so… small on this map, so why would they destroy it?"

"Seals can do incredible things, Naruto," the Hokage said. "They act as contracts that allow for summonings, they can bind souls into one another, and they can make distance irrelevant. Even the basics allow for one to turn script and chakra into explosives or contain objects in their own pocket dimension. Sealing Arts cannot do everything but, given the clan's proficiency, they had every right to be feared despite being such a small village in themselves."

 _And that was without getting into their other abilities,_ Karin thought as she rubbed her arms. She had long sleeves on for a reason, so that the bite marks wouldn't draw attention. She didn't feel like explaining that to anyone if she didn't have to.

"Sadly," he continued, "this was actually a common practice during those terrible times. Clans with unique bloodlines or artifacts would give the enemy an advantage. If given a chance, the soundest tactic was to either subsume them or eliminate them. That is often why such clans congregate into the larger villages like those found here, for their own protection."

"Have…" Karin hesitated when she drew their attention by speaking. "Have you seen it since then? What's left?"

He nodded. "We were fighting our own battles then, but I did. Like I said, they tore the village down thoroughly. It had been hollowed out, plundered of whatever valuables it had, and remains were everywhere. To see such a longtime ally of our village in such a state was… _disheartening_. We laid all that we could find to rest in a mass grave before returning to our village, only able to keep their memory alive with the spiral within our village's emblem. Even then, time has robbed most of that memory."

Karin couldn't help but feel a weight in her heart, tears slowly forming at the news. She was no different than Naruto when it came to his mother. She knew logically that it had happened, and should have been prepared, but it still hurt listening to it from someone who had been there.

This time Naruto laid a hand on her shoulder, offering her some comfort in the same manner she had done him. It surprised her at first. Not many people had touched her soothingly after her mother's death. She touched his hand, wrapping her fingers around it and squeezing softly.

The Hokage allowed it, a moment of silence until she calmed herself. "This is why I was waiting until you were older, Naruto. I didn't want to tell you that you belonged to a clan that had been robbed of everything. There is no land to give you, no legacy but what is in history books, nothing but ruins of your scattered clan."

"So it was just luck that I ran into Karin-chan then?"

"To be frank, I was surprised when I heard that Miss Uzumaki here contacted you," he said. Karin figured that meant he didn't personally oversee all of the applicants for the Chuunin Exams then. Some midlevel paper-pusher was responsible, if not a group of them given the sheer number. "Besides your mother, the last time I received a report about a suspected full-blooded Uzumaki had been during Hanzo's reign in the Hidden Rain, and he had been killed by the man himself from what my student told me."

"Even if there were others, it was likely they were sold on the Black Market and lost to the world," Karin added. They both looked at her. "It almost happened to me, after the village I was raised in had been razed by bandits and I went to another. Two slavers recognized my hair and planned on selling me. I managed to get away somehow and joined Grass sometime afterwards."

"You were fortunate." The Hokage looked to a clock on the wall and then to Naruto. "My time is growing short, I'm afraid. I'll have to leave soon. But, before I do, what were you planning to do for the Finals, Naruto? "

"Oh that." Naruto crossed his arms and scrunched up his face in thought. "I was just going to punch that Neji guy in the face until he stopped moving. Why?"

Karin gave him a doubtful look. "Um, aren't Hyuuga supposed to be really good at close-combat? I don't know the specifics, but they do something to your chakra if they so much as touch you."

"I saw what he did to Hinata-chan in the preliminary," Naruto said. "But I swore on her blood that I would get revenge. I won't back down. I'll ask Kakashi-sensei for training."

"I'm afraid he'll likely be busy training your teammate," the Hokage said, rising to his feet. "He's the only one left who can help him with his eyes. However, I've arranged for you to have a personal tutor named Gama. He'll contact you soon for training, so don't skip his lessons."

The thought of receiving a personal trainer seemed to make Naruto grin as brightly as he had when the Hokage first arrived. "Thanks, Old Man. I knew you'd look out for me!"

Karin rose to her feet and bowed in gratitude. "Thank you for telling me all of this as well. It meant a lot to me."

The Hokage smiled. "Thank Naruto. I'm glad he found you, and I hope you two get along for the duration of your stay in the village. He could use someone else cheering for him in the Finals, since I'm supposed to be unbiased."

"Of course," she told him. "I'll be happy to cheer him on."

"Then, I'll see you both at the Finals. Farewell until then."

The Hokage departed with that said, the hidden Anbu doing the same as they trailed him back to his tower in absolute stealth. That left them alone until the owner of the Ichiraku and his daughter came back in. The pair, perhaps seeing their faces in light of the new information, set to making them both a bowl of ramen to lighten the mood.

"You're really going to cheer me on?" he asked as a steaming bowl was set in front of him by Ayame, who proceeded to run her hand over his hair like an older sibling would a younger one.

"Why wouldn't I?" Karin asked. "I'd be happy to see my fellow clansmen become a Chuunin. I'll even help you if I can. I'm not much of a fighter, and what I can do is limited because I'm not a member of your village, but I'm fairly good at chakra control and planning things. At the very least, I can help you study up on strategies and tactics."

He seemed happy at that, but there was still a sense of lingering somberness hanging over them as they finished and said their goodbyes to the kind pair that ran Ichiraku. Naruto came to a stop when they reached the end of the block and turned to her. "Can we pick up on this tomorrow? There's somewhere I want to go since, if my Mom was in the service and died that night…."

She understood, even if he didn't finish. "You want to visit the… Memorial Stone, I think they called it here?"

Naruto nodded. "We can meet up at Ichiraku's, same time tomorrow. I should have my head a bit more clear by then."

"Sure, but first let me do this." Karin took a deep breath and gave him a hug, feeling his body tense in her grasp before relaxing. She pulled away and looked him in the eyes. "If you ever want to talk about it, let me know."

"Okay."

 **[0-0-0]**

Her name was there. Naruto found it strange he didn't notice it before, when Kakashi brought them. He thought he should have been drawn to it through some sort of familial connection, as the son of a fallen kunoichi.

But he hadn't noticed until he was told. That ate at him. Then again, part of him hoped he never had to know anyone on the stone once he had learned what it meant.

It would mean they were dead, killed in the line of duty. It meant that he had failed to keep them safe as a fellow shinobi. Did that mean he failed her the moment he was born as well, too late to act as the seal to hold the Nine-Tailed Fox before it killed her? Or did she die giving birth to him and he was the one who killed her?

Naruto stirred at the sound of someone approaching behind him and turned to see Kakashi there.

"Didn't expect to see you here," the Jounin said. "I take it the Hokage talked to you about your Mother's clan?"

He nodded. "Did you know her?"

"Yes, I did," Kakashi admitted as he crouched down next to him by the stone. "I was acquainted with her when I was a child around your age. You inherited a lot of her personality, you know?"

Naruto looked him in the eye. "You didn't tell me. Why?"

"There are many secrets surrounding you, Naruto," he pointed out. "Both your status as the Jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox and the situation leading up to it. I couldn't, even if I wanted to. You understand that."

He did know. The only reason he knew as much as he did now was because of a series of coincidences. Mizuki had told him out of spite that he'd been the one to contain the Nine-Tailed Fox, and he was sitting in prison with no chance of getting out if Naruto remembered right. For someone as loyal as Kakashi, he would've kept quiet under torture.

Naruto couldn't begrudge him or anyone else for that. "I guess you're right."

"We can talk about her now, if you want?" Kakashi offered.

Naruto thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, I'd like that."

So they did.


	4. Chapter 4

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

"How did your morning training go today?" Karin asked Naruto as they sat next to one another at Ichiraku's. It was afternoon and Naruto had been given a lunch-break before he resumed training. Where better to spend his time eating lunch than his favorite restaurant with his new clanswoman?

The smell of ramen and sight of white aprons were becoming all too common for Karin after spending the last four days visiting to speak with him. Surprisingly, she didn't mind so much. Ayame made for a decent conversationalist when he wasn't around, and Naruto was often bright enough to warm her up with his cheerfulness.

Naruto scratched his cheek, revealing red prayer beads around his wrists. "It's a start, I guess. Right now he's testing me on the basics, but in a few days we'll move onto some new stuff. Gama-sensei's a bit of a pervert though."

"You shouldn't call your tutor a pervert," Karin told him. "The Hokage picked him out for you, so he has to be some kind of super-important Jounin."

"Even if you say that, he fell for my Sexy Jutsu yesterday." Naruto immediately regretted saying that when both Ayame and Karin shot him a look, the latter of whom could easily guess what it was and the former having warned him about it once before. He abruptly added, "I was just doing it to test if my chakra was working fine! Something happened in the forest that made it all wonky until it was fixed in the hospital, but I was told not to push it until now."

"Mm-hmm," Ayame let slip out skeptically. She clearly didn't buy it. "Don't let me hear you did it again."

"Yes, Ma'am." Naruto chuckled nervously at her disapproving glare. Once she looked away, he sighed deeply and turned back to Karin. "But yeah, that's about it for now. He did give me these though."

When he held up the prayer beads around his wrists she prodded them with her fingers but didn't find anything off about them. "He gave you beads?"

"It's a sealing technique," he explained. Her interest was immediately peaked. "Gama-sensei did a sealing technique that made them heavy when I'm in training to improve my body condition for the match. They change colors depending on if I'm in training or not."

"That's a surprise," she said. "I didn't know they could do that."

"It's like the Old Man said, seals can do incredible things…." Naruto looked pensive as he trailed off. "I learned a bit more from Kakashi-sensei about my Mom. She was supposed to have been good at seals too, despite being a lot like me. It made me wonder what I could have learned if she were here now, and…."

Karin felt a tug in her chest at how his voice dropped. It was still a sensitive issue, one that she knew perfectly well considering her own mother's death. She set a hand down on his knee in solace and changed the topic. "Don't you have a Shinobi Library in the village?"

"Hm?" Naruto blinked. "I… think so. Sakura-chan might have mentioned it once or twice since she likes books. Why?"

"If it's anything like the one in Grass, then it should have a library of different techniques and history books. You're only a Genin, so your access will be limited, but you should be able to check out a couple of basic technique scrolls on Sealing Arts."

His brows seemed to knit at the thought. "I thought I was done with books and scrolls when I graduated from the Academy, but I guess I can try… Do you want to come with me?"

Karin shook her head, giving him a sad smile. "I can't. I'm not a native kunoichi to this village. There are regulations in place for that sort of thing, and I'm not here on a mission that would require access."

"Oh right. I had forgotten. It's just that it's nice having someone to really talk to so I didn't remember." Karin couldn't help but think the sheepish smile he gave her was sort of cute.

Not that she told him. Instead she made small talk. Just some harmless questions to keep him entertained and learn a bit more about him until it was time for him to resume his training. She let him go with a promise to see him tomorrow and then talked a bit more with Ayame before heading back to the Petal Fall Inn.

The Anbu officers were still following her and remained stationed to watch her, but at this point she treated them as part of the background. She did nothing to give away who she was affiliated with. Nor did she give any indication she was a sensor who could detect them through the Hiding with Camouflage technique they seemed so fond of, to the point she had picked up their rotation patterns already.

However, Karin did stir when she felt Naruto entering her range several hours later. He was on the lower floor, at the service desk. She closed her book and left her room, grabbing the half-full bucket of ice on her way out. That would make it seem like she was going to get a refill as she made her way down to the lounge and stumbled across him.

"Naruto?" she said, feigning surprise. "Why are you here this late?"

"I wanted to tell you in person that I got a bunch of books for you to read," he said. "I talked it over with Gama-sensei. He said that _you_ can't check them out, but I can take some of them home and let you read them. I have a bunch of them at my place now!"

"So you're inviting me to come over to your home at night?" That was quicker than she expected. She didn't think he'd be so willing to let someone he only knew for a few days into his home.

"That's okay, right?" he asked. "I mean, I cleaned up and everything."

"I guess it couldn't hurt." She rubbed the back of her neck as she noticed the Anbu officer watching her had shifted around to a position they could listen in better. "I can spare a few hours to help you out."

He flashed a bright smile and grabbed her hand to lead her out. "Great! Follow me."

She followed behind him until they reached his apartment. It was one bedroom, one bathroom, and a small dining area with a kitchen installed. The walls had seen some wear-and-tear, but the window gave him a great view. The wooden paneling on the floor and lower part of the walls could use some polishing as well, but otherwise it was fairly decent for an orphan.

"Naruto, I thought you said you found a _few_ books?" Karin gestured to the aforementioned books scattered left and right over the floor. There were significantly more than a few. "I count at least twenty at a glance."

"It's just a bunch of history books." He stepped around them to where his bed was. That had a few scrolls on it. "Gama-sensei mentioned that the older ones would likely have references that were excluded in later drafts. I figured we could look through some of them for any mention of our clan. Since Kakashi-sensei has something planned for our team tomorrow in the afternoon, I don't have to go to sleep too early and can help out."

"Huh, that… might actually work." If they only crossed referenced mentions of Uzumaki in the village and old maps, they could work faster and get through them all. "Let's organize them by the oldest editions first. Those will have the most information."

 **[0-0-0]**

Sakura climbed the stairs to Naruto's apartment the next afternoon, grumbling under her breath as she did so. Kakashi had sent her to retrieve him since he was late to the meeting they were supposed to have today. She hadn't seen him since he scraped through the Preliminaries by his teeth, after that he had been hospitalized and then checked out while she was coming to terms with everything that happened in the Forest of Death.

Her fingers found themselves brushing the shortened ends where she had cut her hair in the Forest of Death. Her mother had helped her clean it up somewhat, telling her she did the right thing when Sakura gave her an abridged version of what happened during the exam. Her mother had been a kunoichi once before, at least until she retired after Sakura had been born, so she had been proud that Sakura was willing to cut the long hair she treasured so much for her teammates.

Sakura had been doing a lot of thinking since then and her match with Ino. She owed Naruto a lot more than she realized—him, Lee, and Sasuke. Until then, she hadn't realized how much they basically did the heavily lifting for the team… or rather she didn't want to admit it to herself.

She knocked on his door once she reached it. "Naruto, open up!"

 _"Sakura-chan?"_ His voice was muffled through the door. _"Hold on."_

Naruto opened up and she was about to thank him for everything when she spotted someone shifting behind him, nestled beneath the covers of his bed. It was a girl, maybe around their age, with messy red hair. She sat up on the bed slowly, the sheet sliding down as a result and showing her disheveled shirt, and wearily rubbed her eyes.

"Pervert!" Sakura found herself yelling, jumping to conclusions. Her fist smacked him hard and sent him flying into the wall.

"Naruto!" screamed the girl, now wearing a pair of glasses. She threw aside the covers, revealing that she was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of short, and stumbled through the spread of opened books to get next to him. "Are you okay?"

He mumbled something too low for Sakura to hear, blinking rapidly. The girl glared at her through the lenses of her glasses. "Why would you do that to him?"

"Well, I didn't expect him to have a girl in his bed when I got here," Sakura said.

"That's no excuse for hitting your teammate!" the girl claimed. "What he does in his home is his own business! You could have at least asked first before jumping to conclusions."

 _"Karin-channn,"_ Naruto slurred a bit, before shaking his head and rubbing the back of his head. "It's fine."

"No, it isn't!" the girl named Karin argued. "Even my teammates didn't do that to me!"

"I… I'm sorry," Sakura managed to say, a look of shame on her face as she stared down at her fist. "You're right, he didn't deserve that. It was a knee-jerk reaction… speaking of which, who are you and why were you in his bed?"

She checked to see if Naruto had injured his head like a mother hen, worry in her eyes quickly turning to anger as she looked back to Sakura. "I'm a member of Naruto's clan! He invited me over to do research on the Uzumaki and we ended up falling asleep! Was that worth hitting him for?"

"Your appearance didn't make it seem all that innocent!" Sakura shot back, too used to Ino's snarking to stop it from coming out beforehand. "What was I supposed to think with you on his bed looking like _that_?"

Karin looked away, a blush spreading across her face in embarrassment. "I'm a rough sleeper. I toss and turn a lot, and it takes a while to fix in the morning. I really didn't even want Naruto to see me like this, but I got too into researching and fell asleep before I knew it."

"It's not that bad," Naruto told her as he stood. "Anyway, what are you doing here, Sakura-chan?"

"The meeting," she said. "Kakashi-sensei sent me to get you."

"Huh?" He blinked and turned his head to the clock. Panic set in. "Crap! I'm late!"

The girls watched as hurried into the bathroom and ran the water faucet, brushing his teeth and washing his face within the span of a minute. He slipped into his jumpsuit, hopping on one leg at a time, before putting on his sandals. He grabbed a ration bar out of his cabinet last and then made for the door.

"Stay as long as you like!" He told Karin as he bolted past Sakura and jumped over the edge of railing. "See you later!"

He took off running towards the training ground the moment he landed on the street, unintentionally leaving Sakura behind. As for the girls, Karin merely glared at her as she adjusted her glasses. It was almost as if she was sizing her up, judging her for what she had done. It grated on Sakura more than she liked to admit.

Sakura turned away from Naruto's supposed clanswoman and jumped over the railing as he had done. She could still feel the girl's eyes on her as she ran to catch up with him. Was she that angry at her? Did it look that bad hitting him like that?

The thought bothered her until she and Naruto arrived to the meeting. Kakashi, Team 10, and Team 8 were there, minus Hinata. The poor girl was still in the hospital. Lee too, after what Gaara of the Desert did to him. She shuddered at the thought of him being Sasuke's opponent.

Kakashi put away his book. "Nice of you to finally join us, Naruto. Do try and be punctual next time. You won't be able to become a Chuunin if you're late for meetings."

Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke all gave him a flat look at that.

"I was a Jounin _before_ I started getting lost on the road of life," he said to the silent accusations of hypocrisy. "And I'm not late to the important stuff."

"…Well, I had Karin over last night," Naruto said as an excuse. "She got really into what we were doing and we ended up going at it until morning. It wore me out more than I thought."

"Woo-hoo!" Kiba cheered, breaking up the skeptical and conflicted looks that he was getting from everyone else. Guess there were no hard feelings over his defeat then. "Nice, man!"

Sakura grabbed her wrist and resisted the urge to hit him for how he said that. It was an innocent mistake, judging by how he was looking confused about everything. "Naruto meant he was doing research all night with her. There were books everywhere."

"Ah, that explains it." Kakashi huffed. "Next time, work on how you phrase that. Misunderstandings are easy to make without context and you could have made things complicated for her given she's a visiting kunoichi."

"You knew about her?" Sakura asked, even as Naruto seemed to pick up on his mistake now and face-palmed.

"We've had the luxury of meeting, but I was unaware she was in his home when I sent you," he said, before addressing everyone else listening in. "To make a long story short, an Uzumaki from the Hidden Grass found Naruto during the Second Exam and they've been looking into their clan's history. For more details, you'll have to ask Naruto."

Sasuke gave Naruto a hard look. "You have a clan?"

"Had," Naruto corrected. "I just learned a few days ago."

No one pressed him further on it. 'Had' implied past-tense, meaning they didn't exist anymore. The fact that he was an orphan only compounded the point.

Sakura was good at picking up the little clues. She noticed Sasuke's expression soured a fraction from the context. That was something he could no doubt relate to. And the fact that Naruto needed to research it at all meant there was little left, if anything.

 _That explains the books,_ Sakura thought. Naruto found History Class to be boring in the Academy, but learning that he had a clan and lost them must've been enough to get him to pull through it.

She ran her fingers through her hair, upset that she had gotten so used to hitting him prior to the forest that it was second nature. It was like that Karin girl had said, Naruto hadn't deserved it when he was dealing with all of this. She opened her mouth to apologize for his loss when Sasuke shook his head.

 _'It doesn't help when you aren't in the same boat,'_ he mouthed to her. It would have been empty condolences from someone who hadn't lost a loved one or family. Sasuke then turned to Kakashi, who had been watching them. "So, what's this meeting about? The Finals?"

"Sort of." He nodded to Asuma and Kurenai. "As you know, while the Chuunin Exams are in effect, some teams are broken up in preparation. It wouldn't do for them to go out for a C-rank mission and end up being killed, after all. Sabotage is surprisingly frequent given the amounts often being wagered on the fights."

"Makes sense," Sasuke stated. "When do we start training?"

"I'll personally handle your training starting today, Sasuke," he said. "We've got a lot of work to do so that Gaara-fellow doesn't catch you. Lucky for you, I can get your speed up to snuff in the time we have."

"What about us?" Sakura asked, crossing her arms. "Naruto has to go against that Hyuuga that hurt Hinata, and he barely scraped by because Kiba didn't watch where he stuck his nose."

"Hey!" Kiba shouted. Not that he could deny it.

Naruto pouted as well. "You think I'm happy winning like that? I don't want to be known one day as the Hokage who became a Chuunin because of a fart. If my chakra wasn't messed up back then, I would have beaten him fair-and-square."

"Please, me and Akamaru were wiping the floor with you the entire time!" Kiba claimed, Akamaru backing him with a bark.

"That's not how I remember it," Naruto rebutted. "I mean, I seem to remember you taking out Akamaru on your own after I changed into—"

"Naruto has a personal trainer," Kakashi cut in, before they kept going and came to blows again. "As for you, Sakura, this is a chance for you and the others who didn't get in to better yourselves. The teams are temporarily split apart due the members who have personalized training. Why not use this opportunity to ask Kurenai for advice on Genjutsu or reconnect with an old friend?"

The rest of the meeting was more-or-less the same, everyone talking about what to do in the interim between the matches and now. Hours later, once the meeting was done and they were free to leave, Sakura approached Naruto before he could wander off. Sasuke was already gone, eager to begin his training.

"I'm sorry for hitting you earlier," she told him. "Your… clanswoman, I suppose, was right. You didn't deserve that, or most of the other times I've hit you for being annoying."

"I said it was fine." He tilted his head. "Why are you pressing it?"

"I've… been doing a lot of thinking since the Forest of Death and the Preliminaries," she admitted. "Once the danger passed and things settled down to the point I could go to sleep in my own bed, I began to reflect on everything. Sasuke, you, and Lee… I treated you all wrong in different ways, but you were all willing to fight and die for me. If I don't make an effort to change then it means I'd be disrespecting that."

Naruto seemed to grasp what she was saying. She wanted to make a change to better herself, so that she never had to watch from the sidelines as her comrades fought and died for her. He nodded his head and smiled. "Okay then. Apology accepted!"

Sakura motioned towards the village proper. "I'm going to visit Lee in the hospital. Would you like to come with me to see Hinata too?"

He grinned. "Yeah, I should tell her about how I'm going to wipe the floor with her cousin."

"Hold up!" Kiba called, Shino by his side. "We're coming too. The more the merrier."

The four of them then departed to see their hospitalized friends, hoping to cheer them up before they threw themselves into their training for the Finals.


	5. Chapter 5

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

"Welcome home," Karin told Naruto as he walked through his door later that evening. "How was your day?"

"I went to visit a friend in the hospital after the meeting." He wrinkled his nose as he caught the scent in the air and his stomach gurgled. "Did you stay the entire day to cook?"

"You don't mind, do you?" she asked. "I thought that, since I made you late, I would make you a meal while finishing some research. I can pay you back for the ingredients tomorrow."

"Don't worry about it," he said, slipping out of his sandals by the door. "It's just that I don't think a girl's ever cooked something for me besides Ayame-nee. It smells great."

"Wash your hands and face while I set a place at the table for you." As he went into the bathroom to do so, the sound of the water pouring out of the faucet reaching her ears, Karin gave it a final taste test. It was passable, but not the best it could be. Naruto didn't have all the spices that she would have liked, but he did have enough of the base ingredients for her to work with.

Naruto emerged from the bathroom without his orange suit, instead wearing a pair of loose pants and his black shirt as he sat at the table. His eyes shimmered as she sat the plate down in front of him, showing some kind of stew on rice that had a mouth-watering scent. He used a spoon to scoop up some and took a bite into the hot meal.

His back tensed as the flavors played on his taste buds. "This is pretty good! You're a great cook, Karin-chan!"

She chuckled slightly at the compliment, smiling as she brushed her hair. "It's nothing. Just something I learned to make growing up." Her expression sobered a bit as she readied her own plate. "Will your friend in the hospital be okay?"

"She seemed better when we visited her, but the doctor and her sensei said that she won't be leaving for a while because of the injury she got in the Preliminaries." Naruto's grip on his spoon tightened. "I'm going to pound her cousin for that."

Karin didn't know enough about the situation to comment, so she just sat down across from him to eat at the small table with her own plate. Even with the quiet, she found it nice to be able to just enjoy his company. Naruto was genuinely warm to her, not like her teammates in Grass or the cold intrigue that Orochimaru had with her.

When they were done, Naruto childishly patted his stomach with a grin on his face. "That hit the spot. You'd make a great housewife with cooking like that."

"I don't see myself retiring so easily to remain at home, but your compliment is accepted." Karin picked up one of the books that had been spread open to reveal an old map of Hidden Leaf's territory. She pointed to a spot on it that had 'Shrine' written on it. "I found this shrine related to the Uzumaki a few hours ago."

He squinted at the icon. "It's pretty far from the village, right on the outskirts. Do you want to go check it out?"

"I would, but it wouldn't do for me to leave out on my own," she told him. "I was wondering if you could ask your tutor to be our guide."

"No problem," he said.

"Thanks." She rinsed the plates off and organized the scattered books around his home. It wouldn't do to leave a mess for him to clean up when she had been his guest. Afterwards, she slipped her combat sandals over her sock-laden feet and stood at the door. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Eh? You're leaving?"

"I spent the entire night here by mistake, so if I don't get back it could raise questions." She opened the door and the cool evening breeze rustled her hair. "Remember to put the leftovers away when you're done for the night. The rest can be used for lunch."

"I'll walk you back," Naruto offered, rising out of his chair and slipping on his own combat sandals.

She welcomed the company on her journey back.

 **[0-0-0]**

They took off the next day. Naruto went to Gama the first thing in the morning and told him about Karin's suggestion. He agreed to it and told him to get Karin to come with them, stating that they may as well go together. Now all three of them—no Anbu in the range of her Mind's Eye—were heading there by weaving through the dense trees that made up the forests surrounding the Hidden Leaf Village.

Naruto turned his head around to towards Karin, who was trailing after them. "Do you want us to slow down?"

"I'm okay, Naruto." She touched one foot on the tree limb gingerly and then pushed off, leaping further than before with precise control to end up next to him. Her smile carried a sense of assurance. "Remember, I'm a kunoichi so I'm used to traveling quickly like this. I just don't in the village because I don't want to cause any problems while I'm visiting."

"Don't get your hopes up on finding anything spectacular," Gama warned from a tree ahead. He wore a standard set of clothes and a pair of dark glasses. "If it still remains, the building will likely be in ruins."

"I honestly expected it to be somewhat like that." She adjusted her glasses. "After all, most of the maps made after the one I found didn't have it marked. It had to have been neglected for decades at least. However, there may be something left inside."

Despite her words, even she came up short when they finally arrived at the site. The building was a wooden temple, decrepit as even the broad pillars holding the entrance up gave way, leaving the top that bore the clan's symbol to lean in exhaustion after so many years. Truly a somber sight if there ever was one.

Karin pressed her lips thin and stepped forward almost absentmindedly, slowly climbing the stairs with Naruto and his tutor following as she walked under the slouching doors, perpetually left open. It was dark inside, patches of sunlight filtering in through the breaks and gaps in the ceiling. Roaches, along with other insects and small vermin, skittered about at the presence of the three intruders. The only thing that hadn't been battered by age, insects, and harsh weather was the podium at the center that housed a number of masks divided into three rows.

"Why are these masks here?" Naruto asked.

"Maybe it was a storage temple for them?" Gama held his chin in thought before setting his other hand out, stopping Naruto from getting ahead of him. "Don't step closer until I've checked to make sure it's clear."

"He's right," she added. "The mask and podium are _untouched_ , despite how the rest of the temple is. That's not natural—something has to be preserving them."

"Given the clan's skill at Sealing Arts, it's a safe-bet that's the cause." The Jounin began making hand-seals. "I'm going to use a technique to scan for any seals. It's not perfect, but most will show up."

Karin looked down at her feet as he finished the hand-seals and a wave passed over them. Her Cursed Seal of Subjugation didn't react, but Naruto held his stomach and muttered something about it feeling tingly. She briefly wondered if that technique had exposed his Jinchuuriki seal beneath his clothes, but she didn't pay it much mind when she noticed that nine of the masks were _shuddering_.

"Are they supposed to do that?" Naruto asked as the masks fell from the podium.

"I'm going with 'No,' Naruto," Karin answered as she took a step back towards the exit.

Rather than hit the ground, the masks loitered in the air. Some kind of fluid or material seethed from the inside of the masks. They began to take form—a tortoise, a dragon, a snake, a bird, a tiger, a priestess, a reaper, and two sages—becoming nine creatures adorned with the masks as their faces.

 _"Trespassers of hallowed Uzumaki grounds,"_ whispered a chorus of voices, devoid of any emotion. _"You have defiled this place with your presence."_

"We need to leave," Gama said. "Before they—"

The words died as the tortoise proved to be a lot faster than expected when it threw itself at them, leaving Naruto's tutor to grab them both and leap out of the entrance before it exploded in a shower of wood dust and splinters as the large creature broke through the barricade. The others broke through the dust and came after the shinobi, with the agile bird decorated with plumage cutting off their escape route with the priestess on its back. She used her ribbons as whips and lashed out at them, forcing Gama to turn so that they didn't get hit. The impact against his unprotected back sent them all to the ground.

Naruto was up on his feet with a kunai in hand not a second afterwards while the masked creatures tried to surround them. "Karin-chan, Gama-sensei, are you both okay?"

"I'm fine," she told him as she picked her glasses up off the ground and replaced them in time to see the snake and dragon were coming for them as the sages looked on. Gama threw himself forward and smashed them both aside with his fist and leg, proving to be stronger than he looked. Then Karin abruptly stiffened as her Mind's Eye picked up the flow of chakra beneath them and she grabbed Naruto, pulling him to the side as sealing script etched in purple appeared where they once stood and erupted in a column of purple light.

"That was close," Naruto huffed before noticing the reaper was coming for them, scythe brandished. Naruto pushed her back as he followed, throwing them both largely out of the way of the attack before making a cross-seal. Small plumes of smoke erupted, and where there was once one Naruto, there were now many.

With over a dozen Narutos standing between it and the two Uzumaki, the reaper swept its scythe out and sent forth a large colorless wave. The fang-like wave raked through all of them, dissipating them into nothingness as Naruto and Karin ducked low to avoid. Naruto still found himself on the verge of passing out. "No way… I can't…"

"Naruto, what's wrong?" she asked, catching him before he could collapse onto the ground. Her Mind's Eye noticed that his reserves were nearly bottomed out. He'd lost most of his chakra in an instant.

"All of the chakra I sent into the clones are gone!" Naruto said, sounding exhausted. "But I don't know how."

She could take a guess. The Shadow Clone technique used a set amount to create each clone's body and mass before dividing the remainder of the original's chakra into them, making them capable of using techniques without vanishing until what went into molding it was taken. All of that chakra was supposed to return to him when they were dissipated, but the technique the reaper used stripped them of it.

"Not gone," Karin said immediately as the reaper raised the scythe higher and spun it around, releasing eight more slashes towards the other masked creatures. "That wave tore it out and sent it back to the one with the scythe. And now it's redistributing the chakra to the rest of them."

The moment the wind-blades came into contact with them, the masked creatures grew stronger. If their movements before had been sluggish comparatively, as if to conserve strength, then they were now free to move far faster. The beasts that Gama had been fending off on his own became more feral, hitting harder until the tortoise and bird managed to hit him into the serpent. It used its elongated body to coil around him until only an upraised arm was free.

"Look out!" Karin called to Naruto as the reaper came in again with its scythe. Exhausted, Naruto was unable to avoid the blade completely as it cleaved through the front of his jumpsuit and into the flesh laid bare beneath it, sapping the rest of his chakra and drawing blood. He managed to kick it in the face with the last of his strength, driving it off, before the priestess' ribbons found their way around Naruto and _squeezed_ as they raised him in the air, threatening to crush his bones as he struggled fruitlessly and dropped his kunai.

 **"R-Run!"** Naruto yelled. "It's coming for you again!"

She looked to see the reaper was closing in once more and her heart stilled in her chest as she felt another barrier being erected around her in a wider scale, one she couldn't get away from. She was trapped with the reaper in the circle, death closing in. A thought occurred then, recalling the words from before, and she let herself be heard by all who would hear her.

 **"IN THE NAME OF THE UZUMAKI, I COMMAND YOU TO STOP!"** Karin yelled, holding the dropped kunai in front of her as she took a defensive pose. To her surprise, all of them did. The masked creatures, including the reaper with its blade now inches from her face, came to an absolute standstill.

 _"Thy claim to be of Uzumaki birth?"_ asked the reaper.

"I am a survivor of the Uzumaki clan!" she continued, shaking in place. "My blood is that of our clan's, which has been wiped out since you last walked the land! As is the boy the priestess squeezes the life out of at this very moment! How dare you raise your arms against me and my allies when I possess the blood of your creators and have every right to all within the shrine!"

"Y-Yeah, what she said!" Naruto added. "You should be listening to us! Not attacking us!"

 _"Submit proof of blood,"_ the reaper ordered, holding the blade forward. Karin immediately slit her finger on the tip and felt a tinge of her chakra being absorbed by it. The reaper withdrew his blade. _"Your blood is that of the oldest blood. Your claim is valid."_

"Then harm us no further and return to your slumber!" Karin ordered. The creatures acquiesced to the order and vanished, their forms retreating into the masks that clattered onto the ground. The beautiful, almost gossamer-thin ribbons that had bound Naruto disappeared and he fell onto the ground with a yelp, clutching his wound afterwards. Karin was by his side, lifting her sleeve to expose her forearm. "Naruto, you need to bite me."

He looked both puzzled and pained, but there was no time to delay. She placed her forearm in his mouth and then forced his jaw up to clamp down hard enough to trigger her ability. It sent an electric trill throughout her body, pleasure of an almost forbidden nature eliciting a sensual cry from her lips despite her best efforts to stem it.

Her body tremored in place as the high was followed by shuddering breaths until she noticed both of them staring at her. Karin's face turned crimson. "A-are you okay now, Naruto?"

Naruto blinked when the question registered. He poked into the opening in his jumpsuit to find knitted flesh. Her Mind's Eye told her that the excess of the chakra used to heal his wound fed into his depleted reserves, relieving the chakra exhaustion. "Whoa, you can heal people?"

Karin was still red in the face as she sat on her knees and nodded, refusing to meet his eyes. She lifted her sleeve slowly to show a few other bite marks on her skin. "Mother said that our clansmen and clanswomen are often long-lived, and sometimes that manifests in different ways. Mine is that, when people bite me, it transfers my Yang chakra into their bodies and heals them."

"Interesting," Gama said, even as he scribbled something down on a notebook. "I can understand why you'd keep it a secret, for more reasons than one. Good thing we were alone here."

Naruto seemed to recall the expression and sound she made at that moment, considering he blushed himself. Then he looked down at where his teeth were impressed upon her skin. That sobered him. "Um… will that go away?"

She lowered her sleeve. "The marks don't heal. It's not something I like showing others, or letting them know I can do it at all, but you got hurt because of me. I… I wouldn't have been able to stand doing nothing and watching you die for it."

"How did you know they would listen to you?" asked the Jounin as he picked up a mask and turned it around in his hands. He then looked back to where the others laid and the temple that looked even more battered with the entrance now a gaping hole.

"I didn't," Karin claimed. "I gambled on the fact that they could talk meant they had intelligence, and that they were guarding an Uzumaki shrine meant they'd listen to me. It was all pure luck."

"Right, well I'll need to report this." He created his own Shadow Clone and handed over the mask and a few tags before he turned back to the kids. "My clone will set up a couple of barrier tags and stay behind to watch it while we go back. I'll tell the Hokage about this place and he'll send some people to guard it and figure out what to do next."

"I'm going to have to leave the village, aren't I?" Karin asked, looking down. "I wanted to follow a lead, but I nearly got you all killed."

"Relax." The Jounin set a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You did good finding this place, and you acted quickly enough to avoid any serious injuries. You found a small piece of your clan's legacy that had been lost until now, even if it turned out to be more than expected, and you showed something you wanted to keep hidden in order to save Naruto. You didn't do anything wrong—if anything, the Hokage might have people comb over the old documents and records to see if other places like this are still around after the Finals are done."

Naruto nodded his head in agreement. "And if the Old Man does try to kick you out, I'll march into his office and tell him otherwise! Promise!"

Karin doubted he could do that, but the fact that he would try brought a smile to her face. She pushed her hair behind her ears and told them, "Thank you. Both of you."

 **[0-0-0]**

Later that day, in the Hokage's office, 'Gama' gave his report to Sarutobi. The Hokage was pensive as he listened until the end, taking these new developments into mind. Once the report was finished, he reached for his pipe and took a puff before softly exhaling a stream of smoke.

"Were they really that difficult to handle?" he asked. "These constructs bound to the masks?"

"You told me not to expose myself and nine-to-one while protecting the kids would have given me away," Jiraiya said. "I was getting ready to pull a Substitution with the Naruto using a clone and would have gotten serious when she called them off, but they weren't stupid. They were fighting smart and on limited chakra at best—at least before Naruto got drained. "

"Hmm…" Sarutobi exhaled a ring of smoke. "Well, what's done is done. The masks and scrolls found in the hollowed out podium have been confiscated and will merit some investigation before we decide what to do with them. As for Miss Uzumaki, I find it fascinating that she would possess such an ability. "

The disguised Sannin nodded in agreement. "Yang chakra is that which interacts best with physical energy and the body. Kushina manifested them as chains that could suppress chakra, but in her case it seems the surplus is offloaded into whoever bites her to restore them. Princess would have loved that… Has there been no word from her?"

"No, I'm afraid not." Sarutobi sighed. "I have Anbu tracking her down as we speak, but I doubt they'll find her before the Finals. We'll simply have to be ready without her aid, but afterwards… I suspect we'll have to force her back."

He didn't argue against the point. He _hoped_ it didn't come to that, but she was still a kunoichi of the village. If the Hokage made the summons official, Sannin or not, she would be forced back—even if Jiraiya had to bring her himself.

"It may be time for you to assist Naruto in accessing the fox's chakra." Sarutobi settled back in his chair. "It would be useful should he find himself in such a pinch again. I'll leave the details to you, but warn him not to mention it to Miss Uzumaki."

"As you wish, Sensei."


	6. Chapter 6

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Rock Lee slept silently as Sakura replaced the flowers in the vase on the cabinet next to him. The sedative the nurses gave him for the pain in his arm and leg had done its work. He had tried to put on a brave face through it, but she could tell it was bothering him and was glad he looked peaceful now.

 _"See you again, Lee,"_ Sakura whispered before rising from her seat beneath the window that filled the room with warm sunlight. She left the room, closing the door behind her. It clicked shut softly and left her on the other side, out in the corridor of the hospital and under the artificial lights.

She sighed as she meandered towards the exit. Sakura hated seeing Lee like that, unable to do more for him after he risked his life to save her in the forest. Naruto and Sasuke had at least gotten through it without any permanent injuries, but considering how long Lee had been here….

Her head perked up when she noticed the door to Hinata's room was being opened. Out stepped Shino, who gave her a short nod. "Hinata wishes to see you."

She opened her mouth to ask how she knew that she was there, but then remembered Hinata's bloodline. It would be able to peer past most of the walls easily. "Okay."

Sakura entered the room when Shino stepped aside and found that Kiba was also there, with Akamaru perched on his head. The small puppy barked happily at her. As for Hinata, she was sitting up in her bed with a sheet covering her lower body. There was an apologetic smile on her face. "I'm sorry for calling for you when you were about to leave, Haruno-san."

"You can call me by my first name, Hinata." Sakura came to a stop on front of her bed. "How are you feeling? Did Naruto come by?"

"I feel much better now, and Naruto-kun brought this delicious stew to share with me," she said, blushing. Sakura got the feeling that there was more to it. Knowing him, he probably ended up doing something a couple would without realizing it—like spoon-feeding her. Hinata extended her hand with a card in it. "He left this behind when he came for his lunch-break. If you don't mind, could you return it to him?"

Sakura picked up the card and turned it around to see the name 'Kushina Uzumaki' on it. Considering the number and issue date, it was over a decade old. "This must be his mother's card."

Hinata nodded. "He showed it to me while telling me about his clan."

"She looks a lot like that Karin-girl he's been hanging around with." She noticed Hinata shift a bit at that. "Did he tell you about her?"

"He did… it's good that he has someone who will spend time with him while everyone is busy," Hinata claimed, looking down. Her fingers clenched her bed sheet. "Naruto-kun sounds like he's having fun with her. And he's happy to have someone he can call family. I'm glad for him."

Sakura couldn't help but wonder if she was truly happy about it. She obviously had a crush on the brave doofus, and back when she and Ino were fighting over Sasuke this sort of thing would have drove her up the wall. Then again, Hinata was always quiet and reserved when they were anything but that.

"I'll get it back to him," Sakura said. "You focus on getting better before his match. He'll want you there to cheer him on as well."

Hinata's expression became a bit more crestfallen at that. "I… really don't want them to fight, or hurt each other. Neji-nii-san is… he's not a bad person—"

"Like Hell he isn't!" Kiba abruptly yelled, causing her to flinch. "Don't defend what he did, Hinata!"

Hinata curled up, trembling as she brought her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "He's just… when I was younger, things happened and his father died because of me. He has every reason to be angry at me."

Kiba's answer to that was about the same as before. "Bullshit! That doesn't make it right. If Naruto doesn't kick his ass, I'll jump him in the street outside after the matches are over if I have to."

"Indeed," Shino agreed in a placid tone of voice, slightly adjusting his shades. "Regardless of his past, you did not warrant such hostility. He must be made to answer. Should Naruto not prevail then I will see to it myself, to ensure that he does not get away with it."

They were both protective of her in their own way, just like Naruto and Sasuke had been for Sakura at times. Because of that, Sakura could understand what she was feeling now by watching her gaze fall down to her lap. That feeling of self-loathing from needing them to defend you because you weren't able to help yourself was something that she knew all too well.

"Don't worry," Sakura told her gently, setting a hand on her shoulder. "Things will work out."

They were just words. But they seemed to put her at ease. Sakura left out hoping that she wouldn't be made a liar as she went back to Naruto's place. It was the most likely place to find him since she didn't know where he was training at, and she could just slip the card under his door if he wasn't there.

 **[0-0-0]**

Karin wasn't exactly thrilled to see Naruto's pink-haired teammate standing at the bottom of the stairs leading to his apartment when she arrived. In her hands were two very large and heavy bags with fresh ingredients for her to cook with. Maybe she had gotten too much considering she was half-serious about calling the Anbu officer still watching her down to help.

"Is there something you want?" she asked, adjusting her grasp on the bags.

"I came to return something Naruto had left behind at the hospital." Sakura stepped forward and reached out for a bag. "Let me help you."

Far be it for Karin to argue. She handed the heaviest one over and started climbing the stairs. Sakura followed after her.

"This is a lot of food," she noted.

"Naruto doesn't have a lot of variety in his refrigerator," Karin said. And she wasn't exactly using most of the money she had left since the Inn room was paid up through the Exams. When they reached the door she pulled out Naruto's key. He had loaned it to her, leaving her somewhat worried about how easily he trusted her after only a week.

They filed into his home and Sakura seemed taken aback by how the number of books had _multiplied_ since their successful foray in finding the masks. Naruto pretty much picked up anything that he felt would lead to another success, so most of her day was spent going through them. Karin stepped over them carefully and then made it into the kitchen to set her bag down.

When Sakura did so as well, Karin crossed her arms and asked, "What did he leave behind?"

Sakura reached for her pouch and pulled out a card. It was the one with Naruto's mother on it. "He left that visiting a friend in the hospital."

Karin placed it in her pocket and set her hands on her hips. "If that's all, you can _leave_ now."

Sakura scowled at the dismissal. "Are you really that angry with me? You're not even trying to mask it."

"Yes." Karin stated bluntly. "The way Naruto just brushed that hit off tells me that you do that sort of thing often enough he's been conditioned into accepting it. That tells me all I need to know about you."

"I'm trying to be a better friend and teammate to him," Sakura claimed. "And you don't have the right to judge me when you just came into his life. You're making assumptions based on one thing when I've been his teammate for months now."

"You still need to leave," Karin said.

Sakura refused. "I'm staying until Naruto gets back. I have to talk to him about something else from his hospital visit. Besides, you might be part of his clan but he just met you and you're from a foreign village. Letting you stay in his home alone could cause problems."

Karin glared at Sakura through her glasses for a moment. Then she huffed. It wasn't like she could force her out while she was a guest of the village. And there was nothing to be gained by forcing Naruto to decide between the two of them when he returned. He was already busy enough training as is.

It'd be petty and now wasn't the time for that. "If you're going to stay then make yourself useful. Help make dinner by cutting vegetables."

 **[0-0-0]**

Naruto was a bit tired, his clothes still weighed down by the water he had been made to soak in as he fell into the lake he had trained on. So he welcomed the scent of freshly-cooked food coming from his home, secretly happy that Karin had obviously decided to cook again. He was, however, understandably confused when he found Sakura there as well.

"Naruto, you're back?" she asked, wiping her eyes with her forearms. There was a knife in her hand as she peeled what looked to be an onion. "Why do you look drenched?"

"I was supposed to practice Water-Walking for the next stage of my training." Naruto scratched the back of his head. "What are you doing here, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura brushed her hands clean with a towel and then walked over to speak to him. "You left your mother's card with Hinata. She told me to bring it back and I just so happened to run into your clanswoman on the way in. Now I'm helping with making dinner since I didn't have anything better to do while you were training."

He fished through his pockets in search of the card, surprised at his own carelessness. "I really did leave it."

Karin pulled out the card from her pocket. "You should be more careful with the things you care about, Naruto. Don't let them out of your sight."

"Yeah, I got it." He took the card back and turned to Sakura with a bright smile on his face. "Thanks for bringing it back to me."

"It wasn't a problem," Sakura said.

"Didn't you have something _else_ you wanted to talk to him about?" Karin asked in a barbed tone, keeping her eyes on the boiling pot. "That is why you stayed, isn't it?"

Sakura looked over her shoulder at Karin and scowled before turning back to Naruto. "It's about your match with Neji. Hinata doesn't want you to hurt him too badly, or for you to get hurt."

"I can't let what he did slide," Naruto said. "Even if I could, I still want to become a Chuunin in order to become Hokage. That means I have to beat him, and I don't think he's going to go down without a fight."

Despite his anger when he made the vow on her blood, he was fully aware of how dangerous Neji was. He wasn't underestimating him, but he was intent on beating him. Short of one of them giving up, someone was going to get hurt. And Naruto never gave up.

"Naruto, beating him in Chuunin Exams doesn't guarantee that you'll become one," Sakura pointed out. "Besides, he's a Hyuuga. If you get close to him, he can shut you down. You saw what he did to Hinata and they practice the same style."

"I just need to learn some new techniques and I'll cream him," Naruto stated. "Once I get past this exercise, I'll ask Gama-sensei for some cool ones I can use."

"You're thinking the wrong way," Karin said as she turned off the stove, getting their attention. "Chuunin don't just have higher levels of chakra or more techniques at their disposal. They have to use sound tactics to ensure their mission is complete with as few sacrifices as possible, and that's what the examiners will be looking for. Don't focus on how to beat him into submission through sheer force, but instead how to beat him in a way that allows you to walk away without being harmed. If you can do that with the basics at your disposal alone, you're almost assured a promotion even if you lose your other matches."

"…She has a good point," Sakura agreed, somewhat hesitantly. "Your basics are called that for a reason, and you probably waste a lot of chakra in performing them because you have so much that you don't bother regulating it. Remember, you still have to get through the other matches too and you can't do that if you waste all of your chakra fighting him."

"You might have a point there," he admitted.

"You said you were doing the Water-Walking exercise, right?" Karin waited until he nodded before continuing. "That exercise is good for control, so it's probably why he gave it to you to do. If you can show me a place with a large enough body of water, I'll show you how it's done after we've finished eating. Once that's mastered, we can take time to work on a strategy."

"The sounds awesome, but weren't you still searching for stuff on our clan in those books?" he asked. "Can you handle all of that?"

"I can probably help with that," Sakura offered. "I'm good at research, and it sounds interesting enough."

"That'd be great," Naruto said. "Thanks."

"For now, change your clothes and wash-up for dinner." Karin turned to Sakura. "And you're welcomed to stay too. This time I made more than enough."

Sakura's eyebrows furrowed in suspicion. "Why the change of heart?"

"Mostly pragmatic reasons," she confessed. "You have the same level of access to the library that Naruto does, but from what he's told me during some of our talks you're better suited to finding books that have more substance than simple history books. Plus, even I have to admit that trying to organize a plan for Naruto's match on top of everything else would be too much for me to do on my own."

"At least you're honest." Sakura said. "I think I will join you. Hinata did mention what you made before was decent."

Naruto watched the exchange between the girls with some confusion, feeling as though there was some underlying meaning in their words he didn't have the context for. He decided that, since it seemed stable enough, to just do as Karin said and went to the bathroom. There he changed his clothes and washed up before enjoying dinner with the pair.

Night had fallen by the time the food had settled and Sakura left for home. Naruto brought Karin to one of the training grounds with a small lake that wasn't in use. "I was practicing here before. Is this okay?"

"It'll do fine." She crouched down and slipped out of her sandals and socks before dipping a toe in the water. It made her shiver a bit. "Now watch me, Naruto."

Karin stood on the water barefooted with no problem at, not like him. Whereas his attempt had left the water unstable with bubbles frothing beneath him, hers was stable enough that there weren't even any obvious ripples. She extended her hand for him to take just over the edge of the water.

"Grab my hand and place one foot into the water," she told him. When he did, Karin slipped her foot beneath where his was so that it sank just beneath the surface by a few centimeters with his weight. There was no discomfort on her part as she leveled it with more chakra. "Okay, go ahead and start releasing your chakra like you would the Tree-Climbing exercise, but keep letting it out."

Naruto did, releasing the chakra through the tenketsu under his foot. It began to offset the water beneath him and pushed off against her foot until it breached the surface.

"A little lower, Naruto," she told him. "You shouldn't disturb the water so much when doing this. That's a sign you're using too much chakra."

"Okay." He tapered the flow a bit more and felt the layer between him and the water thinning.

"There." She slipped her foot back to the surface in front of his. "Remember that feeling and do the same for your other foot."

Naruto stepped forward as she took a step back and went slightly off-balance until he adjusted. "I got it."

"Don't get too excited," Karin warned. "Standing and walking at a lot more difficult than you think." As if to prove the point, she kicked gently off the water with her front foot and slid back several feet before coming to a stop, as though she skated across the surface. "Try to reach me."

He stepped forward and found it becoming harder to adjust with each step as the surface tension changed with his weight shifting of the water. When he was partway there, he almost stumbled back into the water and risked getting his clothes wet again. Soft fingers caught him before he could fall.

"Not so easy, is it?" She skated around him, almost as though she was gliding across the surface. "The water's surface is fluid, constantly moving around. It's a windless night and the surface is still, but you're still struggling. Now imagine trying to cross a river or the ocean."

Naruto imagined that the river alone would sweep him up easily. The ocean would be merciless, even if he had the chakra to cross it. Still, it probably would have been useful in Wave. "How are you skating on it?"

"Lots of practice," she told him. "Like you, I don't know a lot of techniques or have much combat experience, but I do have my basics down to near-perfection." She pointed to the end of the lake. "Do you think you'll be able to make it to the other side of the lake while we're here?"

He shook his head. "Nmm… this is going to take some getting used to."

"That's fine." Karin skated forward and slipped her fingers between his so they were interwoven. Then she pulled him close. He noticed that she had a nice scent and her body was warm. "I'll help you get it. Just stay close to me until you're almost out of chakra and follow my lead."

Naruto did and she led him along every step, almost as if they were dancing under the moon that was reflected beneath their feet.


	7. Chapter 7

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Karin watched in the comfort of the shade as Naruto balanced himself on the surface of a small lake. In truth, she wasn't even sure why she had been asked to come here for their training session by his tutor. But she could see he had greatly improved since the night where they had danced hand-in-hand on top of the water, beneath the moonlight. She found herself taking pride in how quickly he grasped it when even she had struggled to reach the level of proficiency she had.

Orochimaru wasn't exactly the kindest man to serve under. For the people he had high expectations for, he went out of his way to ensure they were met. His teaching method for working on control had been a perversion of Water-Walking, with _things_ waiting beneath the surface for her to stumble in or notice if she made too many ripples.

The results spoke for themselves by the time she had been sent to infiltrate the ranks of the Hidden Grass. She was silent as she crossed the water, leaving as little of the surface disturbed as possible. The fact that she found a way to teach someone else without the hard push that she had been given was a nice experience, especially considering that it was helping Naruto in furthering his goal of beating his opponent in the Finals.

Things had been… great for her, better than she expected when she arranged to meet him at first. Being around Naruto had been almost like a dream compared to how distant things were in Grass, and how unwelcoming the others in the base where she had been stationed and trained were. In a way, that made what would happen at the end of all of this even worse.

She shuddered a bit at the thought of how his bright smile and the warm feeling of his chakra would be twisted by whatever experimentation Orochimaru would put him through. But there was nothing she could do. The plan was no doubt already in motion, and whatever part she was meant to play didn't allow for failure if she wanted to avoid a fate worse than death.

By the end, there wouldn't be any place for her besides wherever Orochimaru put her.

"Okay, that's pretty good," Naruto's tutor told him as he approached the edge of the water. "I didn't expect you to pick it up so fast. I guess that means we can move onto the next part of your training. But, before that, Karin-chan?"

Karin briefly floundered at being called before rising to her feet. "Yes?"

"Come here for a second, will you?" He waited until she did as he asked before pulling out something wrapped in a cloth and holding it out. "You both remember our little trip to the Mask Storage Temple, yes?"

Karin nodded alongside Naruto. It was hard to forget when you were nearly cut down by a sentient mask, only to escape by the skin of your teeth due to a guess that she took. To their mutual surprise, one of the masks was revealed when he pulled back the cloth.

"The Hokage sent a group to check the temple and they found some documentation about the masks. It mentioned that they were made in honor of celestial beings of the Uzumaki Clan that were divided into roles between Heaven and Earth. The lowest were Divine Beasts that walked the Earth, with the Divine Priests and Priestess being the messengers of the Divine Gods who resided in the Heavens above. The nine masks that were active at the temple were the five beasts and four priests and priestess, while the masks representing the divine gods were inert. I thought it was simply a piece of lore that had been enshrined with the masks, but maybe whoever designed them had intended for that to be incorporated."

"Well, legends often hide ancient truths within them," Karin mused. "Do you understand how they work?"

"Not exactly," he admitted. "Based on our encounter, it seems they utilize chakra to shape their vessels and have a limited form of sentience. However, we're having difficulty summoning them from the masks. So I thought you two might hold the solution. "

"Because they only respond to someone of the Uzumaki lineage," Karin guessed. "That about it?"

"We believe so. That's why I've asked you here today. If Naruto can control them on his own and safely before the start of the Finals, they'll be considered ninja tools and he'll be allowed to use them. Like a puppet would be considered a puppeteers' tool rather than a full-fledge summoning."

"So if I get this to work, I can call up all of them for the match?" Naruto seemed excited at the prospect of being able to summon up nine minions.

His tutor had to quickly add, "Not _all_ of them, realistically speaking. Because of your age and how difficult they'll likely be to manage, we're limiting your access to them until we have a good understanding of their behavioral responses and to see if the seal-work can be replicated without the bloodline restrictions. Once all that is cleared up though, the Hokage will likely hand them over to you. Anyway, the reason we chose this one for you to experiment with is because, should it go rampant, I'll have the least amount of trouble suppressing it."

Naruto picked up the mask and held it above his head as he stared at the visage of the tiger it had been shaped into. "Okay. How do I do this?"

"Try streaming your chakra into the mask, slowly at first. It has receptors to allow it to take it in and store it. Once it reaches a critical point, you should be able to call it out by touching the emblem on the back of the mask. The symbol there reads 'Lineage' from what we could gather, so I suspect you'll need blood as proof."

"Let's do this!" Naruto closed his eyes and began to pour his chakra into it. Then he frowned, opening his eyes and looking the mask over in confusion. "It's not taking my chakra."

"Try again," Gama said. "Slowly."

Karin decided to use her Mind's Eye to observe as he tried again. Naruto's chakra was being _actively_ rejected for some reason. That was strange. Karin focused her sensory ability wholly onto him for a deeper scan and found the source, immediately breaking into a cold sweat when she did.

Inside of him was a veritable sea of corrupted Yang chakra, tainted by inhuman malevolence that seemed ready to spill out and swallow the world. That was what was sealed inside of Naruto? How could anything so wrong be held at bay by whatever seal was placed on him?

Naruto grumbled in frustration as he struggled to push his chakra into the mask futilely once more, only to stop when he noticed that Karin was trembling. "Are you okay, Karin-chan?"

"Oh, umm… I'm fine." Karin took a deep breath to steady herself as she deactivated her power. She believed she knew the reason why he couldn't use it. A trickle of that corrupted Yang chakra was mixing into his own chakra system from the look of it. Whatever safeguards were in place on the mask could detect that. "I think I figured out what's wrong."

Naruto and Gama alike turned to her in expectation. She had their attention.

"Yang chakra," she explained. "You probably need to concentrate Yang chakra into it."

The only ways for him to be able to use that mask that she could think of were to either completely seal off the demon fox, which she couldn't mention for her own safety, or for him to refine his own chakra into Yang chakra. If he created enough pure Yang chakra then it would dilute the trickle of corrupted chakra to the point of being non-existent. You couldn't have both in a single vessel after all, so the greater amount would erode the lesser amount.

"What's Yang chakra?" Naruto asked his tutor. "I heard it mentioned before, but I didn't think much about it. How's it different from regular chakra?"

Gama snapped his fingers. "Right, most Jounin don't usually teach nature transformation until after you've had at least a year or two under your belt. Basically, chakra is formed of spiritual and physical energy melding together. However, that chakra can be converted into elemental chakra—Wind, Water, Fire, Lightning, and Earth being the basics. Bloodlines Limits are usually a merging of two or more elements."

"Then what about what Shikamaru does with shadows and everything?" Naruto asked.

"That's where Yin and Yang chakra comes in," Gama told him. "The Nara clan's technique is mostly Yin-based, though I'm not privy to their secrets on how it's done or molded. But most illusions are done through using Yin chakra to create something out of nothing. It's the spiritual energy that allows the imagination to take form."

"Yang is the opposite," Karin continued for him, unrolling her sleeve to show where he had bitten her. "It governs life and vitality, representing the body. I naturally lean to that element, so my chakra would probably be passable enough for it to work. I'll give it a try and, if I'm right, then he'll just have to learn how to convert his chakra into that element."

 _"That does sound like the most feasible plan of action,"_ the tutor mumbled to himself before he spoke up. "Plus, we know they'll listen to you. Still, I'll leave it up to Naruto to decide."

Naruto pretty much gave his consent without a second thought and handed over the mask. "Go for it."

Karin began to stream her chakra into the mask… only to fall to her knees and wheeze at the immense and sudden drain, like the very air was being sucked out of her lungs. She expected it to be reciprocal of her chakra, but it felt like the mask was actively draining it—a contrast to Naruto's.

"Did it hurt you?" Naruto asked as he crouched down and helped Karin to her feet. "Did something go wrong?"

"I'm fine…Naruto." She took a deep breath to even out her panting. "It just… took a lot of my chakra too quickly. I'll be fine once I've rested… so don't worry about it…"

Gama reached over and grabbed her wrist to feel if there were any changes in her pulse or temperature that came from chakra exhaustion. "I'm tempted to think it's because your chakra system isn't fully developed that the strain was immense, but it's likely that the masks were only capable of being used by individuals who had a vast amount. In fact, given how they were enshrined, it's also likely that only important figures of the clan would be worthy of using it or given permission. What did that one with the scythe say?"

"It said something about being of the 'oldest blood' if I remember right," she answered as he released her. Maybe that meant she was related to one of the older families somehow. There was so much about her clan that had been lost, she couldn't be sure of anything she knew. "Can I borrow something to draw blood with?"

He gave her an unused kunai and she pressed the sharpened tip against her thumb. Beads of crimson blood bubbled up and she pressed it to the emblem on the mask. The result was immediate, the mask jumping from her grasp as a white substance of some kind spewed from the rear section and formed its body. The white tiger stood before them all, black stripes lining its back as it tilted its head up towards Karin.

"This one is known as Byakko, according to the documentation," Gama told her. "Try speaking to it."

Karin gave him a prompt nod and turned to face the tiger that sat patiently in front of her. "Can you understand me?"

 _"Yes,"_ it responded. The voice wasn't physical, but instead seemed to resonate in her head and heart. Was it a spiritual connection then?

"Did either of you hear that?" Karin asked them, to be certain. Naruto and Gama shook their heads, with the latter asking her to elaborate. "It seems that I can hear what it says inside of me."

"Maybe because of the blood connection?" Gama theorized as he pulled out a notepad and scribbled it down. "Keep going."

"My name is Karin Uzumaki," she began. "My chakra constitutes your body, and my proof of lineage is what awoke you. Do you dispute this? So that my companions can understand, nod your head if so, shake if not."

Byakko shook its head this time. _"I do not contest it."_

"Then you'll follow my orders?"

The tiger nodded. _"I will do so."_

"What are your capabilities?" she asked.

 _"Speed,"_ it stated. _"I carry messengers on my back from shore-to-shore and herd my enemies so that the others may do their part."_

Karin repeated what the tiger said to the others and then asked, "If I tell you to obey someone else, will you?"

A shake of the head was the answer. _"I will not. Only those of Uzumaki blood will command our ears."_

Karin rephrased the question, pointing to Naruto. "So if I tell you to obey someone else of the Uzumaki blood, will you?"

 _"He must submit proof."_ When Karin told this to Naruto, he cut his thumb and held the digit out of the tiger to touch. It did so and then nodded. _"His claim is not as strong, but it is valid."_

Karin repeated what Byakko said to Naruto. However, before she could ask anything else, the tiger's body flickered out. Then it vanished entirely, leaving the mask to fall to the ground. She extended her Mind's Eye and found it was devoid of chakra entirely.

"I think it's out of chakra." She picked up the mask and handed it back Gama. "It took nearly everything I had to wake it up this time. So… who could have had the reserves to fill all nine of them up so that they lasted long enough to awaken when we entered the temple? It must've been years, if not decades since anyone entered it."

"Huh…that's actually a good question," Gama noted as he wrapped the mask up again. "We can figure that out later. But for now, you two break for Lunch. I'll go report these findings to the Hokage."

 **[0-0-0]**

The last Uchiha of the Hidden Leaf teetered on the edge of exhaustion as he stood in a clearing devoid of grass. Patches of upturned earth were scattered about, primed like mines to go off at a moment's notice. They would spring to life, seeking to entrap him and pull him down long enough for a punishing strike from his Jounin.

He could only think that _this_ was what he was looking for all this time. Training of this level, where he was pushed to his limits and beyond. With every passing day he felt faster than the one before, steadily catching up to where Rock Lee had been—and from there, Itachi.

But it wasn't enough. He would have to be faster than Lee had been. Otherwise, he would be in the same condition or dead.

So he welcomed the challenge that came as Kakashi appeared behind him with a kunai in hand using a Body Flicker. His eyes hadn't picked it up. Had the Jounin circled around? It didn't matter as Sasuke flipped the grip of his own kunai and brought it towards the man's liver only for it to be blocked by the opposing tool.

Then he was sent flying by an absolutely brutal kick. He narrowly blocked it by crossing his arms and raising them to stop it from coming into contact with his face. He skidded to a stop, digging two distinctive marks into the ground with his feet, and lowered his arms in time to see the hand-seals being finished.

"Earth Style: Earth Flow River!" Kakashi announced, more out of courtesy than anything else. That was part of the training, using announced attacks to test the waters before springing an unannounced one to catch him off-guard. As the training went on, Sasuke figured he would drop the courtesy all together.

The ground beneath Sasuke turned to mud as he jumped up to avoid it. Kakashi then manipulated the mud itself with his chakra, moving it about like the tendrils that the Sand-user used to try and ensnare his opponent. The first few days that would have been enough to capture him, even with his Sharingan. Now though, he could avoid it easy enough.

Kakashi ramped up the difficulty. With two silent gestures the mud split up into multiple tendrils that came at him from all sides. Trying to break through one angle would slow him down long enough to get caught if he was careless.

Sasuke grabbed an explosive tag and threw it ahead of him, letting the explosion rip open a path for him to take. He crossed the opening that presented itself and then let loose a Phoenix Flower for the sake of a distraction, setting him up to move. When Kakashi took the bait, Sasuke rushed in with a kunai to deliver the strike…

"Earth Style: Earth Wall!" Only for the ground to spring up around the Jounin in the form of a wall and shield him from the attack. Damn. His opponent would use something similar to that, wouldn't he? Rock Lee was fast enough to keep him being encased by it, but he still got fooled by the Sand Armor that he wore.

He flung a kunai with an explosive tag on it and watched it detonate. The wall was denser than it looked. The explosion of a standard tag didn't put more than a dent that was a few inches deep.

 _Clap. Clap. Clap._ Sasuke turned his head to see Kakashi was now standing behind him. "You've improved drastically, Sasuke. But let's take a break."

"Not yet." Sasuke's chest rose and fell as he calmed his breath after the chase. "I'm not fast enough, and I don't have a way to penetrate his defenses in the end. I need something more."

If he couldn't deal with someone like this, then how was he going to deal with an actual monster like Itachi? It was frustrating to think of. He was getting closer, but it wasn't enough and wouldn't be enough unless he pushed himself further. The very thought made the sealed Curse Mark ache.

Kakashi looked down at him and sighed. "You know which element overcomes Earth, don't you?"

"Lightning," Sasuke said almost instantly. Then he heard the chirping of a thousand birds. He turned and saw the glaring, pale-blue light emanating from Kakashi's hand.

"You were unconscious when I used a similar technique against Zabuza," Kakashi told him as he turned towards the wall. "It's an assassination technique I made during the war for getting through tougher encampments and targets that preferred using the Rock Armor technique. It's not very quiet, as you can hear, but…."

Sasuke blinked and then he was gone, moving faster than his eyes could track without the Sharingan active. There was a thunderous crash and a spray of rock fragments and dust. The next thing Sasuke saw was that Kakashi's arm had punched through the wall that had blocked an explosive tag.

Kakashi deactivated the technique and pulled his hand free, shaking it as though water was on it. "As you can see, it's easily A-ranked. However, it requires immense speed to be of use, and the Sharingan to avoid the issue of tunnel vision."

Yes. This was it. This was what Sasuke needed. "Teach me it."

"Break first," Kakashi told him. "Then we work on your speed more. You'll have it down by the time the Finals start."

Sasuke couldn't help but grin in anticipation. It was another step closer to getting revenge for his clan.


	8. Chapter 8

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Sakura liked all the libraries she visited. They were quiet, organized, and contained a wealth of knowledge. That being said, there was very little she could find on the Uzumaki beyond the fact that they were a clan that specialized in Sealing Arts and one of them was married to the founder of the village. Sakura then expanded her search for anything relative to the area where they lived, between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water.

The net result was that she found lore and myths from various areas that had been placed into a compilation by a wandering author, whose dedication page mentioned the many destinations he visited. One of them was the Hidden Whirlpool, the very same village where the Uzumaki stemmed from. The book listed their village's lore under the section near the last one-fifths of the pages known as the Oceanic Tales, right before the first entry into the Land of the Sea's local myths about the Kaima.

She wasn't sure how much of it was legit. But Kakashi preached 'look underneath the underneath' and that translated to truth in myths. Besides, some of them were interesting tales—like the priestesses who offered their bodies to mend the wounds of warriors, taking upon their flesh the marks as a sign of their devotion to others that they could be prideful of.

Taking it up to the counter with a book on nature transformation theory, for the sake of Naruto needing to learn to use Yang chakra, Sakura checked them both out and then made her way towards the flower shop Ino's parents ran. It was still early morning so Naruto probably wouldn't be home. She could get more flowers for Rock Lee and visit him until later.

Ino finished arranging flowers in a vase and turned to Sakura as she entered with a smile. "Nice to see you, Billboard-Brow. Need new flowers for Lee?"

Sakura almost called her Ino-pig, but caught herself. They had been enemies over Sasuke for so long that hearing her say that without the usual malice still took some getting used to. "Yeah, the usual ones please."

Ino went over to where they were stored as an awkward silence lingered in the air. Some topics between them were still hot-button and they didn't want to risk opening old wounds. But when the silence eventually became unbearable Ino abruptly broke it. "I heard that you've been coming and going at Naruto's place recently."

Sakura's eyebrow rose at that. "And who exactly did you hear that from?"

"Oh, you know. Just around." Ino gestured with her free hand in a lackadaisical manner, brushing it aside. "So what's going on there? Spill it."

"There's not much to spill," Sakura told her. "I'm just helping out my teammate while he's getting ready for the Finals. Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei have both disappeared somewhere and this way I can at least be of some help to them. Putting up with that girl at his place is a challenge sometimes, but after everything Naruto's done for me since we've been in a team I can deal with it."

"What kind of help are you giving him for the Finals?" Ino asked. "Anything special?"

"That depends. What kind of training is Shikamaru doing?"

Ino opened her mouth to say something, only to stop herself. "Hey, you're trying to get me to spill on my teammate."

A wry grin formed on Sakura's face. "Just like you were trying to get me to do."

"…Fine, you caught me," Ino confessed. "It's just that there's not a lot for me to do while the Finals are going on. I can't help Shika, Sasuke's gone, and Chouji is too busy with his father, while mine's working on something important."

"I hear that." Sakura couldn't help but sigh. "My father's on a mission of his own, and I don't want to bother my mother while she's organizing some big event. Not to mention it's still tricky for us to get along without the fear of offending each other. We let our feud go on for too long."

"Yep." Ino finished with the flowers and handed them over. "Anyway, good luck with whatever it is you're doing with Naruto."

"Thanks." Sakura paid for the flowers and then departed for the hospital where Rock Lee sat in waiting.

The entire trip she wondered if this was the best she could do for them. Flowers for Lee when chances were he might never recover. Looking up fairytales for Naruto so he can find out about the clan he lost the night of his birth and helping him with his training. As for Sasuke… well, she couldn't be of even that much use for him since she couldn't find him.

She ran her free hand through her shortened hair at the thought. Her hair, the flowers, and the books were something. So were the occasional lessons in genjutsu with Kurenai to give her a little more diversity in her skill-set. They were proof she was moving away from how she had been before, becoming useful….

But it all felt so small in the end.

 **[0-0-0]**

"We need to have a serious talk," Jiraiya said, still in the guise of Gama. He was patiently sitting down with Naruto across from him. The pair was deep in the forest, surrounded by dense trees and a small mountain of no importance not far from the Hidden Leaf. Isolation was good given the topic that needed to be discussed.

"What about?" Naruto asked. "Why are we so far out for training?"

Jiraiya thought about how to broach the subject, but decided to just come out with it. "It's about the Nine-Tailed Fox inside of you. The Hokage asked me to teach you how to use its power."

He noticed Naruto's expression shift and his body tensed. The thoughts that were going through his head were as clear as day to the Toad Sage. _'Did he fear me? Would he abandon me? Would he hate me?'_ They were all apparent on his face to the trained eye. It was upsetting that the boy had been reduced to this train of thought when the topic came up.

"Relax, I'm not going to harp on you," he assured him. "I've seen other Jinchuuriki before. I know how they're ostracized from the majority of their villages as well. I'll be clear; you are not my enemy, but my student, Naruto. Just like Kakashi accepts that, I do too."

Naruto still seemed unsure, even as he nodded his head. "There are others like me?"

Jiraiya held up nine fingers. "To be exact, there are nine known Tailed-Beasts. As far as I know most of them have been sealed inside of others just like you. We need to teach you how to access the Fox's chakra so that you'll be able to use it in a pinch."

"But I don't know how," he said.

"You've already done it once, according to Kakashi's mission report. It stated you let its chakra out briefly during your mission to the Land of Waves. I want to hear how it felt from your perspective."

"…Anger," Naruto said. "I was angry at Haku for what I thought he did to Sasuke. Then my chakra got heavy and dark, like… red instead of normal. Things became slower or I could see them faster. I couldn't keep up with Haku before but I was able to hit him afterwards."

"You need to learn how to access that chakra on command," he told Naruto. "So every few days, between your other training, we'll come here to do so. If you can manage to use it before the Finals—"

"I'm scared of it," Naruto cut in. "When I was using that chakra, all I felt was anger. That anger made my own worse, bubbling up to the point I wanted to tear someone limb-from-limb. What if it gets control of me? Not to mention some people already think I'm the Fox. I don't want to give them more of a reason to do so."

"Which is why you need training," Jiraiya said. "Being able to use that chakra without succumbing to its influence is the key thing here, more than anything else. There are safeguards in place to stop it from going out of control, for the most part."

"And what are those?" he asked.

"The seal on your stomach for one thing." Jiraiya pointed down towards it. "It was designed by someone who knew the last Jinchuuriki well and studied under Kushina. She knew her clan's Sealing Arts well enough to help make it. It's easily the best and most complex one to date."

Naruto's eyes widened at that and he looked to his stomach. "My Mom helped make it?"

The Toad Sage nodded. It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't the time to tell him the whole truth. "She and the seal-maker knew how the last Jinchuuriki struggled with containing the beast within and strove to make a seal capable of easing that burden. That seal is her gift to you, a way to keep you safe despite how powerful the Nine-Tailed Fox is. The proof is that you went for over a decade without it influencing you, and only when you were on the verge of death and angry did it empower you. Naruto, have faith in your clan's art and your mother's gift."

Naruto reached down and touched where the seal was beneath his clothes. When he looked back up, there was resolve in his eyes. "Okay, so how do I draw it out?"

"Self-preservation," he said. True, there was meditation and other assorted means, but… well, when has an energetic and ambitious pre-teen ever sat still on his own accord for that long? "Jinchuuriki are linked to their Tailed-Beast. In a lesser seal, it might be able to break free with the death of its host. But more prominent seals ensure that should the Jinchuuriki be killed, the beast goes with them. They'll likely reform after several years, but they'll be diminished as a result. As long as you don't give into it, it's stuck with you and will give you chakra in order to save its own neck."

Of course, he was using what he learned from Kushina and Minato as a basis. Being the former Jinchuuriki, she knew best what it was like. The fox was sapient and manipulative, but it was still useful to the village.

"But first, there's still one more technique for you to learn—the Summoning Technique." He bit his calloused thumb and smeared the blood over his palm, making the hand-seals and slamming his palm onto the grass afterwards. Sealing script from the blood stretched out like a spider's web onto the surface of the ground and then there was a large plume of smoke as he stood atop a toad nearly twice his size while striking the same pose as it.

"Cool!" Naruto exclaimed. "Not the pose, but the giant frog is awesome! I wanna give it a try!"

"My poses are awesome. You just haven't realized their greatness yet!" He blamed the disguise. If he didn't need to hide who he really was in preparation for whatever his former teammate had planned, it'd be a different story. Regardless, he tapped his foot down on the summoned toad's head. "And they're toads, not frogs. Keep that in mind."

"Okay." The large summoned toad extended its tongue and revealed a scroll there for Naruto to take. He set it down on the ground and unraveled it to see a list of various names until an empty spot appeared. "So I need to write my name here?"

"In blood," the Toad Sage added. "Using a trickle of chakra and pressing your fingerprints beneath it to finish signing the contract."

He did so eagerly. "Okay, what next?"

"Keep in mind that we're using it for training purposes only right now," Jiraiya told him as the scroll was rolled up and returned to the toad. "It's the Hokage's orders to keep it secret and not to use it during the exam unless it's a life-threatening emergency. Now, you didn't use any chakra the day before, right?"

Naruto shook his head. "I just spent that day with Karin-chan and visited Hinata-chan for a bit."

"Good. Then you should be able to summon the Boss Toad, Gamabunta." Jiraiya had already given him a heads-up about what they were doing, so he would come when called and explain how things would work. "You're going to summon him to introduce yourself by using as much chakra as possible with an offering of blood. But be respectful, got it?"

"Sure, sure. Now what are the hand-seals!?" Once Jiraiya told him, the Jinchuuriki focused his chakra to the point it formed a visible aura. Then he slammed his hand down on the ground and sealing script crawled over a massive section of it. "Come out, Boss Toad!"

Jiraiya and his toad grabbed Naruto and hopped out of the large plume of smoke that followed as Gamabunta appeared, to avoid accidentally perching on his head without his permission. The Boss Toad sat tall, a string of smoke coming out of his pipe just thin enough to not warrant someone to check for a fire as it dissipated past the peak of the mountain. His eyes fell upon the pair, only to roll when Jiraiya waved at him while in his disguise.

 **"So, you're the kid he was talking into becoming the next contract-holder, huh?"** Gamabunta exhaled and then leaned down to get a better look. **"Yeah, I see the resemblance to… never mind. Anyway, if you want** ** _my_** **help during a summoning, you're gonna have to prove yourself, kid."**

"How's that?" Naruto asked.

 **"A challenge,"** he announced. **"You're a bit younger than my last few contractors, so I'll have to adjust it but we'll set a timer. You have to stay on my head for the duration of that time without falling off. If you're successful, we'll talk terms. If not, you'll have to try again after one week."**

Naruto frowned. "If I fail I can't summon anymore that week?"

"Not exactly," Jiraiya cut in. "There are a number of toads with unique abilities. You'll summon one a day when training in private with me and get to know them. Remember that the summoned toads are sapient beings that deserve to be treated as equals, so forging a friendship with them is the key to being a good summoner."

That seemed to mollify Naruto. His excitement renewed, he turned and pointed a finger to Gamabunta. "Okay, I accept your challenge. Prepare to be my toad!"

 **[0-0-0]**

Karin had to admit shelving her reservations about Naruto's teammate had been beneficial. The compilation of lore she found wasn't something Naruto would have picked out on his own, and so far she found that there was some truth to the tales passed down in it. The story about priestesses who offered their bodies to warriors was her ability in a nutshell and some of the stories also featured the figures that the masks were based off, giving her another reference point with them. As long as she didn't hit Naruto again, Karin would put up with her for the moment.

It was then that she heard a knock on the door. It struck her as strange since Naruto had a key and his teammate had left hours ago. She activated her Mind's Eye and found the signatures recognizable, though Naruto's was miniscule. Karin tossed the book aside and ran to the door.

"Hi there," Gama said, standing there with Naruto in his arms. The Genin out cold. "Can I come in to drop him off?"

She stepped aside to let him in while asking, "Shouldn't he be taken to the hospital for chakra exhaustion?"

"You could tell at a glance?"

"There are few things that can put him down to this extent and I don't see any signs of physical injuries," she lied. "Was his training that hard?"

"Yes it was," Gama said. "Don't worry though. He'll recover quickly enough with rest. He's been asked to keep this aspect of his training quiet though, so—"

"No prying, I understand."

"Good. And before I forget…." He pulled out Byakko's mask and set it on the nightstand next to the bed.

"You're leaving the mask this time?" Karin asked.

He nodded. "Technically, Naruto is entitled to it and you've confirmed it won't hurt him. On the days when he isn't training with me, I figured it would be good for him to get familiar with it. Though I suspect you'll be the one using it, as long as it's with his permission you can help train him with it."

The last time she tried using it the mask nearly sapped her chakra reserves dry and she couldn't maintain it for more than a minute. But she wasn't using her chakra most of the time while in the village to maintain her cover, so Karin supposed she could take it with her to the inn and fill it before going to bed every night. At least until they managed to teach Naruto how to refine his chakra into purer Yang chakra.

She gave his tutor a small bow out of courtesy. "I'll be happy to help him. Thank you for bringing him back home and have a good evening."

"You too." With that said, he left and Karin turned her attention back to Naruto.

He looked so peaceful while he slept, like there was nothing worrying him. Karin hadn't slept like that since she was with her mother in their village, before everything changed. It was just the two of them curled up in bed, lying next to one another as her mother's warm and soothing chakra lulled her into dreaming peacefully.

Back then, Karin didn't know how to turn off her sensory ability. There was no need to with the village being so nice and peaceful. There was no malevolence or hatred strong enough to taint the very nature of someone to the extent she could feel it. So she left herself open to everything the world had to offer without reservation.

That changed when she lost everything. Not being able to shut it off while they died horribly until she passed out had given her mental trauma, or so Orochimaru explained when she told him about it. The power incontinence that followed was basically her mind coming to terms with it and giving her the ability to turn it off so she didn't go insane from feeling just how horrible the world was. Karin still wished she could recapture the feeling from before then. She could just lay next to him, close her eyes and….

 _No, I can't._ Karin shook her head and lightly slapped her cheeks. "He'll be hungry when he wakes up. I should make him something…."

She set to work, doing her best to avoid thinking any deeper on it. Karin couldn't afford to fall into that trap, not when it meant going against Orochimaru and Kabuto. As much as she longed for those nostalgic days and nights, her fear was too strong a leash for her to break alone.

No matter how much she wished she could.


	9. Chapter 9

**Another chaper is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

The blood red moon that hung high above was an eye—a kaleidoscope endlessly spinning in place as crimson tears drizzled down over the grey and black landscape. Bodies, corpses, were strewn over the ground, Uchiha blood seeping from the vessels devoid of life and wastefully staining the earth and walls. The vivid scene of the massacre was once more put before Sasuke, leaving him to look on in horror from his childhood frame.

 _The nightmare again_ , he thought as his body moved on its own. _Why? Why am I stuck dreaming of this again!?_

Rarely did Sasuke have pleasant dreams anymore. Often he found himself in this nightmare, a prisoner in his own childhood body as it followed the same steps as it did before—hundreds of times after so many years. Sasuke waded through the corpses and felt the phantasmal emotions of horror and dread he did as a child, instead of the seething hatred that churned within him at present.

The same path unwounded as it always did, leading him to his home and the sight of his parents lying dead on the ground. There his brother stood over their corpses with his blade stained with their blood. The same words followed, 'why' and 'how', which Itachi responded to by locking their eyes and forcibly driving the memories of his clansmen being slaughtered into Sasuke's mind over and over, until he collapsed into a pool of his parents' blood.

Then he turned around and walked away. He was leaving him there when the rest were dead. Little Sasuke extend a hand forward as he witnessed his brother heading towards the exit.

The world of contrast and crimson vanished in a flash of blinding sunlight as his eyes opened to reality, leaving the nightmare behind. Sasuke found himself yelling as he woke, an arm extended upwards to the sky above. It was as if he was trying to stop it from falling and crashing down like his life that night.

"Damn it!" He balled his hand into a fist as he caught his breath and slammed the bottom of it into the grass next to him. Even in his dreams Itachi haunted him. "I'll kill you, Itachi. I swear it!"

The nightmare served its purpose in keeping the fires of hatred lit inside of him, fueling his determination to become stronger for the sake of avenging his fallen clan. Sasuke _would_ kill Itachi with his own hands and, to do that, he couldn't afford to just lie around. Not when he could be training.

He sat up off the sheet that had been layered over the ground and ran through the trees until he came to the training spot where Kakashi had brought them to for his practice with the Chidori technique. It was the base of a small cliff where water trickled down into a basin of sorts below, useful for bathing and fishing for lunch. Kakashi was nowhere to be found, presumably having gone back to the village for one reason or another.

Sasuke paid it little mind as he stood at the tree line. It was a straight-shot to the rocky surface of the cliff, which was already pocked with previous attempts at using the technique. He got into position, activated his Sharingan, and held his left hand down at the wrist with his right as he began the process of creating the Chidori.

The chakra coils in his body thrummed as he took a portion of his base chakra and then converted it into Lightning Chakra, vibrating it intensely to generate the electrical energy. He sent it down the channels in his left arm and out of the tenketsu of his hand, watching with his activated eyes as the chakra gathered in his palm. It was too loose, too scattered, basically just a charged atmosphere that would annoy someone at best.

 _Tighter_ , he thought as he wove the chakra together while continuing to feed the lightning-aligned element into the compressed space between his fingers. It sparked to life in the palm of his hand, completing the transmutation into pure electricity. The constant chirping only grew in volume and brightness as he increased the density of it more and more. _I've got it now!_

He clenched his teeth as his hand trembled with lightning in its grasp. It was like a trapped grasshopper or cricket fighting to get free as he constrained the vibrations and power into a single mass. It took all his concentration to maintain it while he charged forward.

No sooner than he crossed the halfway point did he see chakra taking form and erupting from the ground in angled protrusions of solid earth meant to hinder and trip him up. He wove around them only for his concentration to waver for a moment. It cost him as the electricity unwove right when he slammed his hand into the face of the cliff, his fingers yielding as the tongues of electricity spread out over the surface. Sasuke held his hand tightly and bore with the pain as he glared up at the source from which the chakra originated.

Kakashi was there, at the top of the cliff. "You know you weren't supposed to practice without me here. That technique isn't something you should take lightly."

"I don't have time to waste by taking it slow," Sasuke shot back as he went to the starting position to try again. He had to get stronger as fast as he could, regardless of the method or shortcut. He had to if he was going to kill Itachi, avenge his clan, and stop the nightmares. The thought made his Curse Mark stir beneath the seal they placed on top of it.

Kakashi sighed before he jumped down and grabbed Sasuke's hand to look at it. "Let's at least salve and bandage it before you make another attempt. If you wreck your hand then it'll be impossible for you to master it in time."

 **[0-0-0]**

Naruto was training as well. His eyes darted left and right as the white tiger freed of the confines of its mask circled him with speed that bordered on the limits of what he could track. He barely noticed the brief deviation as it turned and leapt for him, giving him just enough time to duck down and avoid it. He flung his kunai in retaliation at it, only for the sharpened point to find the turf instead of its body because the tiger moved.

The training premise was simple. His opponents strikes would be debilitating if they connected, and he couldn't likely beat him in hand-to-hand. That meant mid-to-long range combat was preferable, but his opponent was also fast. If he could keep up with Byakko then he his opponent would be no trouble at all.

"Byakko, take it up a notch!" Karin yelled. She and Sakura were sitting in the shade beneath a tree, watching as he trained. Well, Karin watched him train while Sakura was doing something with a flower bud. "Try not to hurt him too bad!"

The tiger's speed instantly increased, or rather it stopped holding back as much. The claws on its feet upturned and dug wedges in the dirt as they moved. It took three breakneck hops to blindside him from behind with a body-check.

Naruto went flying forward. He was barely able to tuck his arms and legs in so he could roll when he touched down. Extending his legs to brake, they left a trail of pushed aside dirt while he reached into his kunai pouch to fling three of the tools at once.

There was a concussive-explosive tag on each one. The scrolls on their creation had been very useful to pick up from the Library. Granted, he only memorized the pattern of the sealing script rather than analyzing it on a deeper level in order to learn how to reconstruct it, but he was still new at it and pressed for time.

Regardless, Byakko darted between the explosions that went up as sprays of loose soil and grass to hit Naruto again. The jinchuuriki quickly brought his arms up to guard against the impending blow, only for the tiger abruptly dart to the right at an angle and once more to get behind him. Then it rammed into him from his blind-spot again.

Naruto righted himself mid-flight and made the cross-seal. Smoke erupted around him in the form of a dozen Shadow Clones. They charged for the white tiger, leaving the original behind, a kunai in each of their hands.

Byakko avoided them deftly and rammed into Naruto for a third time… only for him to go _poof_. The tiger kept moving as the others began to fling their shadowed-copied version of the concussive-explosive tagged kunai. Byakko remained uncertain of which was the original due to the fact that they all swapped positions with one another using a Substitution technique.

The basic technique was immensely useful for someone with the Multi-Shadow Clone technique—more so if all of them participated at the same time, making it a confusing game of tag. The constant shifting around on top of the clones being practically identical to every conventional sense meant that someone who specialized in hand-to-hand would struggle to tell which one was the real one. Especially while being mobbed from all sides.

Was it fair? No. But they were shinobi, not samurai. If they were in a fair fight they were doing something wrong to begin with. Besides, the purpose of the exam wasn't the number of techniques or showmanship, but the strategy and tactics used to deal with the opponent effectively.

For Naruto, that meant he could mob them thanks to his ridiculous amounts of chakra. Granted, they weren't durable considering Byakko managed to plow through them with every pass until he finally clobbered the real Naruto by chance. But they'd have other countermeasures to take advantage of that.

With the last of the chakra Karin had stuffed into it spent, Byakko flickered out of existence. Its mask fell onto the ground in front of Naruto. He rubbed the spot where Byakko had hit him last before picking up the mask and addressing it.

"Did you have to hit me so hard?"

"I told Byakko to take it easy on you," Karin said from where she was perched, knees drawn up to her chest and held by her hands. "It can hit hard enough to shatter every bone in your body once it builds up enough speed."

He winced at the thought and held the mask out as he approached the girls. "I want to try another one soon—the flying one."

"You still have to learn how to make yang chakra before your tutor will ask on your behalf since they want more proof you can use and command them," Karin said as she grabbed the mask. "Byakko didn't last five minutes and it took me days to charge it that much before going to bed."

Sakura deemed that to be an appropriate time to speak up. "I think I've got it down how to do it. Sit down and I'll try to explain it."

Naruto took a seat on the grass in front of them and crossed his arms as Sakura pulled out a number of potted flowers that had yet to blossom. She arranged them in rows while he asked, "What are the plants for?"

"Yang chakra governs life and vitality, meaning it can boost organic functions. Kiba and Chouji use it when they use their Clan's techniques, but Medics also use it to heal by directly influencing the cellular structure. That sort of training takes more time than we have."

"Okay, but that still doesn't explain what we're doing."

"Long story short, we're going to use the plants to help you refine your chakra into the yang element." She poured in a large amount of water into one of the potted plants. "You're going to make them bloom. The yang chakra will drastically speed the process up and make the plants grow if you do it properly."

"Just like the First Hokage did?" Naruto said. He actually paid attention in class when it came to what the Hokages were famous for, namely techniques, rather than the boring stuff. "Awesome!"

"No," Sakura said, completely serious. "The First Hokage had a Bloodline Limit to use Wood Style techniques. It was unique in the sense that it could bring plants and the like into existence anywhere and at anytime—that's both nature manipulation and nature transmutation of chakra. What you're doing is simply having the plant do what it normally does faster, bolstering the photosynthesis, transpiration, and respiration rate so they absorb the nutrients in the soil, the sunlight above, and the excess water. Things like manipulating the cell division, elongation, and that sort of the thing tends to require far more refinement and precision—quality control at an extremely high-level."

"In other words, you're going to try to attune your base chakra into yang and dump it into the plants. Because they have a basic growth cycle, the chakra will simply kick it into overdrive." Karin summarized. "You don't need to try and specify what part of it you're manipulating or regulate it because you're going for quantity over the quality. When you do the same thing on the masks, their seals will handle the creation and animation of their bodies."

Naruto snapped his fingers. "Oooohhh, okay. I got it."

"These plants in particular are receptive to chakra, so you should be able to see results quickly." Sakura placed her hand over the pot that she prepared and closed her eyes to concentrate. Her hand glowed slightly and the resulting energy seeped down into the plant. The petals seemed to tremble a little and the excess water began to shrink until the flower bloomed.

"It really worked," Naruto noted. "Good job, Sakura-chan."

"I've been practicing on my own for awhile using one of the books I picked up," Sakura huffed as she finished, rubbing sweat off her forehead. "The thing to take note of is that you're literally taking from your body's physical energy in order to make it—taking it from your cells while trying to keep as much spiritual energy out of it as you can without having so little that it won't form chakra at all."

"I've got plenty of that," Naruto said. True enough, he was a bundle of energy and youth. He extended his hand as Sakura poured water into another potted plant. "Let's do this!"

 **[0-0-0]**

"In hindsight, we should have done that _before_ Byakko ran him ragged," Karin said to Sakura as she walked down the produce aisle. They had just finished dropping Naruto back off in his home, leaving him passed out on the bed from physical exhaustion. Now they were at one of the local stores to pick up some groceries for dinner and Karin needed someone to help with the bags.

"The result probably would have been the same." Sakura crossed her arms in thought. "Though, to be honest, he was getting it faster than I expected."

"He is an Uzumaki," Karin claimed. The fact that her Mind's Eye basically helped her judge just how close he got to the minimal level of purity, based on what she felt from Sakura, didn't hurt either. Because of that she was able to help him better, but some of that was due to his natural talent.

"Do you think this will be enough in the end?" Sakura asked. "Just making him faster and working on his Substitution with his clones?"

"For his first opponent, it will do the trick." Karin picked up some tomatoes and placed them in the shopping basket. "Because the clones are constructs of his chakra they can be substituted without complication and quickly. It'll be ideal if his opponent gets overwhelmed, but that's only taking into account the fact that his opponent is a close-range specialist."

"But if he does land enough hits then Naruto's done," Sakura pointed out. "And then, even if he wins, he'll have to go against his teammate or that guy who hurt Lee. That won't work against either of them."

Karin shrugged. "If he somehow does manage to get the real Naruto, I do have a counter-measure in mind. You'll have to get the components for it since it might look funny if I do, but it'll work. As for the others, I don't know enough about them. If he has access to the masked beasts then he'll be likely to manage it, but giving up is also an option—"

"Fancy seeing you here," said a voice from behind them. Karin instantly locked up as the blood in her body turned to ice. It was Kabuto.

"Oh. You're from the forest," Sakura said. "Sorry about your teammates losing in the Preliminaries."

"It's fine. The fact yours made it to the Finals on your first time is amazing."

He was making small talk with Sakura, paying Karin no mind. But she couldn't help but wonder what were the chances it was coincidental they were meeting here. Was he keeping tabs on her, showing himself to remind her of her mission? Of what failure would entail?

Karin trembled in place when he finally turned to her and extended a hand for her to shake. "I don't think we've had the luxury of meeting yet. I'm Kabuto Yakushi."

"K-Karin Uzumaki," she said as she took his hand gingerly. She'd seen what he could do with them to an enemy. She did her best not to pull away from his grasp. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"That's Naruto's last name if I remember right." His acting skills were flawless, even as she felt her skin prickle beneath his fingers. Or was it her imagination? "You're related?"

"Yes. I'm a distant relative. I'm helping him prepare for the Finals."

"That's great, but are you okay?" he asked. "You look a little… pale."

"I'm fine," Karin lied. "Just… just a little tired. I just need some rest, and I'll be fine."

"You should take better care of yourself." He released her hand. "After all, you wouldn't want to come down with something when the Finals are starting soon enough. It'd be a shame to miss your relative's first shot at becoming a Chuunin. Depending on how he does, it may be an once-in-a-lifetime performance."

She nodded quietly but said nothing.

"Tell your teammates I said good luck," Kabuto said, waving to Sakura. Then he was gone.

Sakura looked back to Karin and asked, "Are you coming down with something?"

Karin shook her head. "Let's just get what we need and go. Once I'm done with dinner for Naruto, I'll go back to the Inn and sleep it off."

The rest of the shopping trip was done in silence….


	10. Chapter 10

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Sarutobi looked at the report on their security measures drafted by the experts of the village's defenses late in the afternoon. He was trying to find ways to shore up them up in the event of an attack by Orochimaru's forces. From Jiraiya's information it was likely that they would have to worry about the Hidden Sound being the main culprits during the Finals, but he sincerely doubted their forces would be enough to significantly overwhelm the village.

And Orochimaru must have known that as well. His former student wasn't a fool. There had to be an angle here he wasn't taking into account, but he couldn't guess what it was exactly.

There were few foreign shinobi, but they were all from allied villages—barring the Genin from Hidden Sound who was found dead. None of them would be so bold to risk everything, not with so few numbers. Such an act would run the risk of starting another Great War.

He was brought out of his musings when he heard his window being opened. Not that hard a guess on who that was, even if he wasn't expecting him. "Would it kill you to use the door, Jiraiya?"

"It's just so… boring," he said as he shut the window he entered through. "So, anything new on your end?"

Sarutobi shook his head sluggishly and sighed. "Nothing yet, though I fear he will certainly make an attempt during the Finals. It would be too optimistic to hope that he would leave after being exposed once in the Forest of Death… How goes things with Naruto?"

"Fine," Jiraiya said. "He's finally learned how to produce Yang chakra and proven that the tiger will listen to him, so he wants the bird now. On the subject of the summonings, he's getting to know the more patient toads along with Gamakichi and Gamatatsu. And he can access the fox's chakra—"

Sarutobi held up his hand at that point. "About that. Can you explain how you thought throwing him off a cliff was the right thing to do in order to access the Nine-Tails chakra?"

"Self-preservation is needed to unlock the chakra once his own had been depleted beforehand, so I put him through the Water-Walking training until we reached that point. I had an Earth Shadow Clone down there waiting to catch him and I could have substituted myself if he couldn't pull it off," Jiraiya argued. "He was completely safe… and you did give me permission to use my own methods."

"I am concerned he may have reservations about working with you in the future if you resort to such measures," Sarutobi countered. "Very few people are qualified to teach him or suppress him should the need arise, more so since Tsunade still possesses the necklace that can be used to do so, and I don't want him to be wary of such measures being taken."

"Sensei, he's fine," Jiraiya said. "He's already over it. Speaking of Tsunade, I've managed to find her again with my intelligence network. I had them give her a missive asking her to return. I do trust my intelligence, but I framed the note as saying that you wanted to talk to her rather than mention anything involving Orochimaru."

"And I take it her response was a negative?" he asked.

"When he woke up from what I believe was an induced sleep he found a hastily scribbled note that basically said **'No way in Hell'** so I'm going to say it was negative. Yes."

Once more the Hokage sighed. "That girl… she's leaving me no choice. Was it wrong of me to give her so much leeway?"

"Honestly, it might have been," Jiraiya admitted. "But you aren't responsible alone. I… left her alone too, consumed with tracking Orochimaru to make up for my failure in not stopping him, keeping tabs on Akatsuki to protect Naruto and make up for not being there when Minato and Kushina died when the fox escaped… we should have made time to try and help her cope with the death of her brother and Dan, but we let her run away and she hasn't stopped since then."

Her grief was understandable. All of them had lost loved ones and could sympathize. But instead of trying to help her overcome her fear of blood, they allowed her to run off and the method of coping she chose was both self-destructive and had harmed her reputation. Those two facts alone weighed down on her as much as her reputation as a Sannin held her up.

"Very well," Sarutobi said. "Once you locate her again after the Finals, you go and retrieve her. It is time for her to come home. If she needs counseling, I'll arrange for a Yamanaka-specialist to help her in private, but allowing her to continue like this would be a dishonor to her Grandfather and those who came before her."

"…Understood," Jiraiya said.

Sarutobi leaned back in his chair. "Then onto the final matter. How are things between Naruto and Miss Uzumaki?"

"Pretty good, actually. She's helping him with his training, they seem to spend most of their time together, occasionally with his other teammate, and Naruto's improving on multiple fronts. I don't honestly see him losing his match during the Finals. It's a shame I won't be able to see it while I'm protecting you, but I think he's got it locked down."

"I see…" He drummed his fingers in thought before coming to a stop. "In that case, what are your thoughts on allowing Miss Uzumaki to relocate into the village when all is said and done?"

 **[0-0-0]**

Karin watched as Naruto rode on top of Byakko with an excited grin on his face, having called it out of the mask on his own. It was just them for the moment. His teammate was at the hospital, visiting someone for an extended period of time. All Karin could do now was just watch him since there was nothing else she could do for him, barring the creation of her counter-measure for his first opponent.

There was an odorless poison they had in Hidden Grass that when inhaled would muddle the reflexes and senses. All she had to do was get the necessary plants to make it, but she didn't want to be seen buying it by an Anbu officer or having questions asked. That meant she would have to rely on Naruto's teammate, who would likely know where to get them since she found those plants they used for his Yang chakra training.

After that was done, Karin wasn't certain what she could do that would benefit him. At least nothing that would help him in the long-run. After running into Kabuto the snake returned while she was in the bathroom, hiding in the sink's drain to elude detection, and gave her orders. There was going to be an invasion and she was to knock Naruto out using a smoke bomb filled with sleeping gas before taking him away with Kabuto.

She was supposed to take him from his home and leave it to burn. Just like her small village was beset by bandits and rogues and burned to cinders, Orochimaru wanted this village destroyed so it would be. It unsettled her to know she was playing a part in that, but she desperately wanted to believe it would have happened anyway and she was saving Naruto from dying with it.

From what she knew, Naruto would be expected to face-off against that Gaara-boy since they were both Jinchuuriki. There would be no contest. Naruto would die. She was removing him from the certain death… only for him to likely end up someplace where he _wished_ he could die rather than being strapped on an operating table.

She supposed she could tell the Hokage about the impending attack, but she'd be executed as a spy. That wasn't an option for her. She valued her life more than that of other people she didn't know. Selfish as it may have been, that was human nature. Besides, she was not a kunoichi of this village and her strongest tie was with Naruto.

That left running away as an option. She'd knock Naruto out, somehow eluded Kabuto, and they could run somewhere Orochimaru's grasp didn't extend. The Land of Fire was out of the question, but they could go some other place. Maybe they'd find shelter in the remnants of the Hidden Whirlpool where no one would look for them, and it would be just the two of them….

Except that Naruto would never forgive her for it. That was the crux of the problem. All she wanted was information on her Clan, that was the point of wanting to meet with him, but she had gotten attached to the loveable goofball. He was so bright and straightforward that being around him left her feeling happy for the first time in a long time.

Karin's eyes shifted as her Mind's Eye, which she had been using to monitor how much chakra Naruto and Byakko had, picked up his tutor entering her range. It seemed their private time was over. She stood up as he arrived in the clearing they were in.

"Gama-sensei!" Naruto said as Byakko came to a stop and then retreated into the mask. Naruto caught it before it could hit the ground. "Did you talk to the Old Man about getting the bird mask?"

"Suzaku was the name on the document, and yes I did." He pulled the mask out and handed it to Naruto. "Since this is the first time you're using this mask be careful. Use your chakra to anchor yourself to it so you don't fall off, and tell it to come down when it runs low on chakra since we know they can tell how long they can stay manifested now."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" Naruto handed over Byakko's mask to Karin, who felt there was still chakra within it, and then focused on converting his chakra so that he could fuel it into Suzaku's mask. Then he bit his thumb, wiped blood over the back to unlock it, and tossed the mask into the air. "Let's fly, Suzaku!"

The bird-faced mask expelled a reddish material that formed the body and sprouted pristine and elegant plumage. Its wings spread wide to catch the wind and it soared overhead in a circle, getting its bearings. Lowering itself to the ground, it dipped its head to Naruto and allowed him to climb on.

He hopped on without a second thought and took the skies with a grin on his face. Higher and higher, until he was a speck in the distance as they soared towards the clouds.

"Nice to see he's having fun," Gama said. "Here's hoping he won't go too far."

Karin nodded before removing her glasses and cleaning them. "Flying is something that few can do, even with chakra. I can understand his excitement. I hope he'll let me ride it before the end of the Finals."

"Actually, now that he's gone, we need to talk," he said, waiting for her to face him before continuing. "Let me ask you this: How do you feel about the village?"

"I… like it so far," she said cautiously. "The atmosphere is different. Of course, I haven't visited most of it because I don't know my way around and I'm here as a guest. Mostly I spend my time with Naruto, in his home, or in my room. Why?"

"The Hokage asked me to extend to you an invite to join the village as a permanent citizen, if you want," he said.

Karin blinked in confusion at that, surprise evident on her face. "Why? How?"

He took a seat next to her. "Usually, a transfer between villages becomes more difficult depending on their standings and a number of factors involved. You're a Genin with only a year of training under your belt and not a lot of access to information they'd want to keep secret, we're in a time of peace, and the Hidden Grass are both diplomatic and on neutral terms with us. Because the Uzumaki were allies of our village and you have family here, your ties are strong enough that no one will question why you want to remain here indefinitely, so it's safe to say they'd be willing to release you from service for a reasonable compensation."

"Um… wow…." She couldn't really put it into words. "That's…."

"If you still have attachments there, I'd understand—"

"No, no!" She stood up and held her hands to her chest. "I… I feel more comfortable here with Naruto than I did in the Hidden Grass. I didn't even get along well with my teammates. I want to stay here, but may I have some time to think on it? It's a big decision."

"That's fine," Gama said. "Just know that we'll be happy to welcome you."

"And can we not tell Naruto about this?" Karin asked. "At least not yet?"

He nodded. "It's your decision when to drop the news."

"Thank you," she told him, even as it tore her up on the inside. It was a nice village, better than Hidden Grass in a lot of aspects. You could actually see the sky for one thing. But why did he have to make the offer when she _knew_ what was going to happen? Not that she let it show on her face, but she hated him for dangling this in front of her without realizing she would never get the chance to follow through with it.

"KARIN-CHANNN!" She heard from above. Naruto was there, Suzaku lowering itself down with quick beats of its wings. "You've got to see this. Come on!"

She looked over to Gama, who gestured it was okay before he disappeared in a Body Flicker. Karin sighed before she took Naruto's hand and climbed onto the majestic bird of vermillion and gold plumage. Securing herself with chakra to their mount, Naruto gave the order to climb and they rose in the air.

Flying was a unique experience, Karin noticed. There was a pit in her stomach that moved around as they ascended, as though her body was struggling against the bonds of gravity to defy their connection with the earth below. The winds stirring against her face left her hair whipping behind her as they took to the clouds but, once the wings began to glide, she felt free in a way she never did before.

"Look," Naruto said, gesturing to the forests surrounding them and the village below. "Isn't it awesome?"

With the horizon burning as sunset was approaching, it looked like a carpet of gold had been spread across the viridian trees below. The buildings made for an interesting web of stonework, a maze that all led towards the cliff-face where the Hokages of the past had been immortalized in stone. It was a beautiful sight.

"Yeah," she said, answering his question. "It's a great view."

"I could always look up from on top of the Hokage Monument at everything before I became a Genin. I used to paint it is as a prank. It was always amazing to look at, but this high… it just makes you realize how big your world is. When I become Hokage someday I'll have to protect it all, so being able to get a view like this is worth it."

"… You really do want to be the next Hokage, don't you?" she asked.

"Of course I do," he said. "I always wanted to, but before it was just because I wanted people to know who I was. Then, after becoming a Genin and seeing places like Wave and the things that happened there, I wanted to keep them safe. That's what it means to be a shinobi, and the Hokage is someone who protects everyone in his village, including them."

Tears left Karin's eyes as her heart began to blossom with pain at the admission, knowing what would happen to it all soon enough. It would all be crushed no matter what. Even if she saved his life, she'd take away his purpose for living.

Karin hated herself even more now. She didn't want to be a spy. She didn't want to meet such nice people like Ayame and even that Sakura-girl on occasion, only to have to betray them later on. And she didn't want to feel this warm feeling in her chest when she was around him, knowing that it would be snuffed out by the end.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he looked back due to her silence. "You can tell me if there's something bothering you."

"And you won't judge me?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No."

She believed him. Naruto was too sweet. And, in the end, that was the problem. She had grown used to the way he looked at her, the way he spoke to her, the way that he cared for her, the way he let her into his life—so much unreserved trust and warmth being freely given. After having none of it while under Orochimaru's care and in the Hidden Grass, it had left her too attached to him.

But it would all be taken away once the invasion kicked off. The people he was fond of would die, including the Hokage and tutor who were offering her a home that didn't consist of being around people like Kabuto or experiments. No matter how this ended, she would lose it all. It was a cruel joke.

Karin threw herself around him in a hug, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her head against his back. Her Mind's Eye opened to embrace his chakra and the soothing warmth that lingered on the surface as well. Even if she had to lose it all so soon, she at least wanted to commit as much of it as she could to memory.

 _"Just let me stay like this for awhile,"_ she softly begged. _"Please?"_

He nodded his head silently as they continued flying over the village while the sun fell beyond the horizon.


	11. Chapter 11

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Sakura paced around the base of a tree that Naruto was perched in, looking down at the rest of the gathered shinobi and kunoichi. With the Finals starting tomorrow, the different teams of the rookie graduates had gathered for a final time. Even Hinata was out of the hospital and sitting along with her teammates, though she occasionally had a bad cough due to the damage her cousin inflicted on her. The only ones missing were Kakashi and Sasuke.

"Where are they?" Sakura asked aloud, her frustration and worry slowly turning to anger. "They should have been here by now."

"Kakashi-sensei is always late," Naruto said, conveniently ignoring the fact that he was the late one the last time. "No point in worrying about when they'll show up."

"I can't help but feel worried, Naruto," Sakura told him. "We haven't seen either of them since the last meeting and you know who his opponent is in the first match. We don't know if he's trained enough to beat him."

"Yeesh, you could at least have some faith in your teammates," said a third voice. It was Ino, standing there with her hands on her hips. "You don't see me discouraging Shika, and he's a lazy bum who only played Shogi the entire time."

 _"Gee, thanks for the voice of confidence,"_ mumbled Shikamaru, lying down on the grass beneath the shade with his eyes closed. Chouji was sitting next to him.

"I have faith in them both," Sakura shot back, trying not to sound too heated at her. But Ino's teammate didn't have to go against that Hidden Sand boy that hurt Lee, so she couldn't understand what was going through Sakura's head. "But I'm being realistic. If Sasuke does lose then that means Naruto has to face him next. What chance does he have if Sasuke lost first? I don't want to see either of them killed when they can just take the exams again in half-a-year."

"You make it sound like I don't have a shot," Naruto said. "That kinda hurts."

"I know what you can do," Sakura said. She trained with him a good deal of the time and helped arrange the strategy that he was using. "You shouldn't lose to your first opponent unless you do something stupid after everything we put you through. Even then, if you lost you'd still be alive. But that boy is on an entirely different level and Sasuke wasn't as fast as Lee was the first time they met. If he gets his sand around you at all…."

It would be an instant kill. Lee had been one of the fastest shinobi she knew and he still paid the price. Naruto wasn't nearly that fast on his own, but Byakko could match it and Suzaku could keep him in the air. The problem was that Naruto didn't have a solid way of countering the defenses of that sand barring explosive tags, and even that wasn't a guarantee. If he got caught, it was all over.

"I don't know"—Naruto almost fell from his perch with a yelp at the abrupt voice next to him, only for his foot to be caught by a strong hand—"I think Sasuke has a fairly decent shot."

Sakura looked up to see Kakashi-sensei was there, having snuck up when they weren't looking somehow. He hopped down from the tree and set Naruto on the ground. "Though I'm happy to hear you're sure Naruto will win his match. That speaks a lot of how close you've gotten compared to when you first became a team."

True, she hadn't been the _best_ teammate prior to the Forest of Death. But that was then and this was now. She looked around before asking, "Where's Sasuke? Is he not with you? Did he get hurt during his training?"

"As if I'd do something so stupid." From the shadows of the trees emerged Sasuke Uchiha with a scowl on his face. His clothes were torn in a number of places, his bag was slung over his shoulders, and one of his arms was bandaged from the tip of his fingers to just below his elbow. "I'm right here."

"Sasuke-kun~!" Ino gushed upon laying her eyes on him. "You look so much stronger and those bandages are so cool!"

Sakura ignored her old friend's fawning to focus on the more important details. "Are you sure you're not hurt? I hadn't heard from either of you and your arm—"

"It's fine." He balled the bandaged hand into a fist and held it up to Naruto. "I'm going to beat Gaara of the Desert, and then I'll beat you. Try not to get too worked over before then. I'd hate to give you a handicap, Dead Last."

"You wish," Naruto held a thumb up to his headband and tapped the emblem on it. A sign of battle between equals. "I'm going to mop the floor with you in front of everyone."

"As long you beat that long-haired bastard, I don't care who wins between the two of you," Kiba chimed in as he walked over with Akamaru on his head. He was flanked by Shino and Hinata, the latter of whom was nestled behind Shino. "I've been waiting a month now to see him get his pretentious ass kicked. Otherwise, me and Akamaru really will jump him outside the match."

"Um… about the match," Hinata started, pressing her forefingers together. "Um, I—"

"I know," Naruto said. "I'll give him one chance to withdraw and apologize to you. We all know he won't take it, but I'll still give it to him. After that, I'm going to beat him."

Sakura really felt bad for Hinata. She'd hate to be put into a position where two people she cared about were seriously trying to hurt one another. At least with Naruto and Sasuke it was just a thing between boys and she knew they had one another's backs when it came down to it.

For her part, Hinata meekly nodded. It was the best she could get him to agree to.

"So I take it you've come up with a strategy to go against him?" Shino asked. "You know that rushing in would be ill-advised."

Naruto nodded. "He won't touch me." Then he looked over to Sasuke. "Don't expect me to go easy on you just because we're on the same team. I've got a bunch of new tricks up my sleeves."

The Uchiha's bandaged arm tensed and a smug smile formed on his face. "So do I. Don't be jealous when the time comes."

"Competition is great and all but remember that there are limitations, Sasuke," Kakashi warned in a lax tone of voice, even though his eye was angled in a serious manner while staring at his hand. "That technique—"

"Don't use it on the others from the village." Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. "I won't need it for him anyway."

 **[0-0-0]**

"—and he said he wouldn't even need to use it against me," Naruto heatedly ranted as he paced the room, rubbing his chin in thought. "He's probably learned some super-secret technique from Kakashi-sensei."

"Probably," Karin agreed somewhat absentmindedly. Most of her attention was devoted to the brush in her hand as she used delicate strokes upon the chakra-receptive blank note-tags. She used the last of her savings to have Sakura purchase three stacks worth. Now it was up to her to turn them into something he could use for the Finals.

There was a certain clarity that came with the focus she devoted to etching the sealing script upon the paper. Every stroke had a purpose. Every kanji and symbol had a meaning. Nothing was superfluous, and by focusing her mind on the task everything else that wasn't relevant faded from her mind.

Karin didn't have think about anything else but ensuring that every stroke was fluid and accurate. That meant she didn't have to think about the impending invasion. She didn't have to think about the Hokage's offer and how it was all going to go up in flames. She didn't have to think about how Naruto's goal to become the Hokage would be in vain as he was left to the non-existent mercy of Orochimaru and Kabuto, their scalpels cleaving into his flesh and blood— _no, no, stop!_

Her breath came out heavy as she noticed her brush's stroke had gone astray. The tag was worthless now. Karin set the brush down, pushed up her glasses, and rubbed her eyes that teetered on the edge of tears. It was then she heard Naruto calling her.

"Karin-chan, are you okay?" he asked, leaning close with concern in his cerulean eyes.

"I'm just a little tired," she lied as she put her glasses back into place. "Anyway, you don't really need to worry about your teammate's new technique. It's not important to you at the moment."

He sat down in the chair across from her and crossed his arms. "What makes you think that?"

"The way I see it, he can't use it against you because your sensei ordered it, so it doesn't factor into your match if he does win. If he doesn't… well, you should probably listen to your other teammate and withdraw from the fight. There's no point in risking your life for a match—it's not worth getting killed over."

Naruto huffed. "Why is everyone telling me to give up before I even try?"

"Because that's the sort of opponent you're up against," she said. "You have to pick your battles, Naruto. Rushing headlong into a fight you can't win isn't brave in this case, it's foolish. Bowing out is the smart, sensible, and _expected_ thing for a Chuunin to do."

A frown marred his face. Naruto didn't like giving up, even when it was the sensible thing to do. There was something to be said for his determination, but this was one-time it worked against him.

Karin's fingers reached out to touch his hands across the table, and her fingers wove their way around his, drawn to their warmth. "Promise me, Naruto. If your teammate loses, I want you to withdraw. If not because it's sensible, then because I don't want to lose you."

She wondered why she was saying all of this. Karin _knew_ it wouldn't get that far. So why were the words coming out on their own? "I just want you to be safe and happy. That's why I'm doing all of this. I want you to succeed, and that means I don't want you to sabotage yourself."

He seemed surprised at the admission, as much as she was by how earnest it was. "If both you and Sakura-chan say so then fine. If Sasuke loses, I'll back down. But if he dies—"

"He won't," she told him. "He's the last Uchiha. Even I know his clan's contribution to your village from the books we've gone over. They won't let him die in something like this. I'm willing to bet the moment that it looks like he's in real trouble they'll call the match and have the referee interfere to save him. That way they save his bloodline and allow an allied village to have one of their own advance without someone dying needlessly."

Even if that wasn't the case, she knew that Orochimaru wouldn't let him die. There was no way he'd risk losing one of the key objectives of his plan by happenstance. He and Naruto were guaranteed to live throughout the invasion.

"Sasuke would hate that," Naruto figured. "He wants to win, but he wants it to be on his terms. He doesn't want it handed to him."

"As long as he's alive, he'll have another chance. That's what matters." The words meant to assure him only served to drive a knife into Karin's heart as she freed her hands from his grasp. It would all be lies in the end. If she wanted him to be safe and happy, she would have gone to tell the Hokage about everything she knew and accepted the consequences.

"I guess…" His expression turned almost wistful as he shifted topics. "After that though, you'll have to leave to go back to your village, won't you?"

 _Don't give him false hope_ , whispered the voice of reason of her that lurked within her mind at the prospect of bringing up that she could stay now. That was exactly what it would be. _It'll only hurt him worse in the end._

Despite that rational voice making a strong point, she continued on. "Actually, the Hokage's offered to let me become a kunoichi of the village. I planned on giving him my answer after the Finals are over."

"He did?" Naruto's eyes went wide at that, flecks hope dancing behind the blue panes into his heart. He was so easy to read.

She nodded. "That's right. Though I'm not really sure what I'll do after that. I mean, I'm sure there's some kind of housing I'll be able to stay in until I can go on missions and earn enough to get my own place. But I'll still be new here."

"That's awesome!" Naruto's smile practically beamed joy. "The village is great, and I can let you meet all of my friends, Iruka-sensei, and everyone else!"

"We can work out the details later. Right now though, we need to focus on getting ready for your match," she said. "It's getting late. Go take a shower so you can go to bed early after recharging Byakko and Suzaku. I'll finish up here."

Naruto got up to do just that, taking his night clothes with him into the bathroom and shutting the door. Karin waited until she heard the shower running before planting her elbows on the table and pressing her hands against her face. "I'm just making things worse for the both of us in the end, but how happy he looked made me feel so warm inside…."

She exhaled a ragged breath after she trailed off. In spite of every ounce of common sense she had, Karin told him the news. All because she wanted to see if she had the same effect on him that his presence had on her—being happy just knowing that other person was there for them. She wanted to see with her own eyes how happy it would make him to know she was staying and wanted him to fight with that knowledge in his heart, making her feel as though her presence would give him just as great a drive to victory as her efforts to help him.

It was a poisonous, ruinous desire considering what she had to do. But was it so wrong when she had nothing else but despair waiting for her at the end? There was no happy ending for her. No life in the sun with friends and happy neighbors like in her village before it was destroyed or what he had here.

There was only the darkness of Orochimaru's bases. There was only being surrounded by either monstrous experiments, victims begging for death, or ruthless scientists. With that waiting for her in the end, was it wrong to at least pretend that there could be a happy life with him here?

The answer wouldn't come to her no matter how long she thought on it, so Karin threw herself back into her work. She grabbed the brush she had cast aside, dipped it in the inkwell, and began to anew. By the time she was done, Naruto had finished his shower and slipped into his pajamas.

There were thirty-three in total that were usable: twenty concussive-explosives, ten regular-explosives, and three poison-storage tags. He probably wouldn't need all of them, but you could never be sure. She placed them on the nightstand where the masks, two pouches of newly sharpened kunai and shuriken, and several smoke bombs were too.

"I didn't expect there to be so many," Naruto said as he sat in a lotus position on his mattress.

"Pay attention, I don't want you using the wrong ones and hurting yourself." She pointed to the sealing script on the tags. "You can tell they're different by the script written on them but since you'll be in battle and won't have that luxury, I had the rims marked in different colors. The green ones are the concussive explosives, the red ones are the normal explosive tags, and the blue ones contain the poison. The first set won't kill him unless he's very unlucky, the second set are in case of an emergency, and when using any of the last set hold your breath so you don't breathe it in. It would be bad if you poisoned him only to end up in the same state."

He nodded. "Got it."

"Good." Karin walked over to the table and put the ink, brush, and unused blank note-tags into her bag before she slipped on her footwear. "Make sure to fill the masks before you fall asleep. I'll be here to wake you in the morning and we'll head to the stadium together."

"Have a nice night, Karin-chan," he said as a farewell when she opened the door. "See you in the morning."

 **[0-0-0]**

Karin's night was anything other than nice when she got back to her room at the Petal Fall Inn. She couldn't sleep from the stress of everything, between Naruto's match and the invasion. There was just too much for her have to cope with and she couldn't settle her mind.

After an hour spent futilely trying to go to bed after a shower, Karin gave it up. She opened her Mind's Eye and checked to see if there were any signatures around. There were none near her, not even the usual Anbu officer that normally watched her while she slept. As if she didn't have enough to be unnerved about.

"I suppose I can just take a Soldier Pill if I need to stay awake," she said to herself. The alternative was using sleeping pills, both of which she had in her bag, but she didn't trust herself to wake up in time to see Naruto off if she did. The only question was what she would do until it was time to get him.

She looked over to her bag, where she had the blank note-tags and ink. Now that she thought about it, she never did get the chance to make one of the Barrier Tags that his tutor had shown them when they were retrieving the masks. The sealing design was still etched into her mind along with the events of that day, and even if Naruto didn't need the extras the act of creating them would bring much needed peace and clarity to her mind.

Karin crawled out of bed and went over to the nightstand where the bag was and lost herself in her work….


	12. Chapter 12

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Karin adjusted her weapon and supply pouch beneath her overly long shirt before she knocked on Naruto's door. Like she had promised, Karin had come to get him up since it was the morning of the Finals. There was about an hour before he needed to be there, but it wasn't that far so the excess time could be used to teach him how to use the Barrier Tags that she had made over the course of the night.

The latch to the door came undone and opened to reveal that Naruto was already dressed. He smiled at seeing her, but his smile turned into a slight frown when their eyes met. There was a note of concern in his voice as he asked, "Are you okay?"

Karin touched the slight dark rings under her eyes. "If you mean these, I'm fine. I couldn't sleep, so I kept myself busy. Don't worry about me." She stepped inside his home and returned his question to him. "How do you feel? After all, today is your big day."

"A little nervous," he admitted. "But I'm ready."

"Just to be safe, I made these for you." Karin reached into her pouch and pulled out the various sealing tags she had worked on that night. "They're color-coded like the others, but the yellow-rimmed ones are Barrier Tags like your tutor used."

He took them gingerly and looked down at the script etched onto the tags. Considering the delicacy and concentration needed to make the strokes as elegant and refined as she had, he quickly pieced together that she had spent all night making them. "You didn't have t—"

His words died when she placed a finger to his lips. "I want you to win so you'll be happy, Naruto. To that end, I would regret it if I didn't do everything I could. I can sleep later knowing that, so you shouldn't say something like I didn't have to when it was my decision."

"Okay…" He scratched the back of his head before holding the new tags up. "Show me how to use these and I'll work it into my plans."

Karin gave him a demonstration and overview of how to set them up before he made the final arrangements to his gear, summoning clones and transforming them ahead of time. There was no rule against it and that way he wouldn't have to do it in the middle of the battle if he didn't have to. Plus, the divided chakra could be returned to him in an emergency if he needed it.

When it was all done, the two of them set out towards the stadium where the Finals were taking place. There was a crowd filing in below as they stood on the rooftop across the road from it. Karin decided that was the point where they would split up, as he had to take a separate entrance for the contestants.

"Remember, Naruto, you're trying to do well enough that you impress the judges, not the audience," she told him. "They'll be looking for the qualities of a Chuunin that we've been over, show them and you'll all but be guaranteed to get it."

"Got it," Naruto said with a grin on his face. "Wish me luck."

Karin leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. A minor blush spread across her face when she pulled back, matching the one that appeared on his face. She turned so that her back was to him, hiding it as best she could. "That's how my mother always wished me luck, so… good luck!"

Before he could say anything, she jumped down towards where the crowd was entering the stadium and went with them inside to get to the individual stands. Along the way she pressed her fingers to her lips, wondering if she had made things worse for him. It was a silly concern given that the invasion was likely to be kicked off soon, which was why she had kept a number of sealing tags for herself, but it still worried her.

"Karin-chan!" Upon hearing her name being called, Karin turned her head towards the source and found Ayame from the Ichiraku Ramen there. She wore a simple dress and a small jacket that went over her arms and torso, and was waving for Karin to come towards her. "Over here!"

"Ayame-san, I didn't expect to see you here," Karin said as she approached. "Don't you have to work today?"

"Dad bought me a ticket to the event and told me that I should come see Naruto since he's on first." She patted one of the empty seats next to her. "Sit and cheer for him with me."

Karin did so, doing her best to relax for the moment as other people filed into the seats. Ayame made small talk by asking what Karin thought about his chances, his opponent, and whatever she could in anticipation of the match. For her part, Karin tried to answer without giving too much away so that she would see for herself.

That was when Sakura came towards them and asked, "Mind if I sit next to you?"

Ayame gave her the go ahead to take the free seat on her opposite side. "You must be so excited since both of your teammates are participating aren't they?"

"Hopefully they'll both be okay in their matches…." Sakura trailed off as she looked at Karin awkwardly.

"What?" she asked. "If you have something you want to say, then you can say it."

"Umm… about what happened on the rooftop across the street," she started. "You might want to keep an eye on your surroundings next time."

Karin's face started turning the same shade as her hair. "You saw that?"

"Yeah, I was on my way here with Ino and… I'm just giving you a heads-up on that," she said. "Don't be surprised if a blonde-haired girl comes up and bugs you for details later on. I managed to convince her not to bother you while the matches are going on, but she won't let go of any decent piece of gossip she gets her hands on."

"It was just for good luck," Karin insisted as Ayame looked between them with curiosity in her eyes. "That's all."

His teammate clearly didn't buy it. "Uh-huh. Sure."

Ayame seemed to have read between the lines since she asked, "On the lips or cheek?"

"Cheek," Sakura answered. "Naruto stood there for a full minute afterwards touching the spot."

Karin buried her face into her hands and groaned as Ayame started pestering her for details. At the very least it took her mind off the other concerns she had. For the moment, anyway….

 **[0-0-0]**

Sarutobi stood in front of his seat out of formality as the Kazekage approached with his guards, the latter having come to see his children participating in the Finals. Both of them were adorned in the traditional outfits of their respective positions, hat and veil obscuring their faces. Of course, Sarutobi had his combat outfit beneath his formal attire should his long fallen student show himself.

"Good to see you again," he said as they shook hands. "I trust that your trip wasn't a burden?"

"No more than expected for crossing the desert," the Kazekage said. "I look forward to seeing my children's performance, as well as the other Chuunin hopefuls. I believe this year's batch will be exemplary."

"I concur," Sarutobi agreed as they both took a seat. "A number of talented youths will be participating, all of them with their own unique abilities and talents—such as your own. All three of them are quite impressive, but I wasn't aware there was a bloodline capable of manipulating normal sand."

A slight nod of the head obscured the Kazekage's eyes as he spoke. "Puppeteering is a gradually fading art. It was only fitting that I would have one of my own ensure that it survived another generation. Likewise, those proficient with the Wind Element are also a rarity, so it was a pleasant surprise upon learning she was naturally inclined to that alignment. As for my youngest… you are aware of my own ability, correct?"

"You control Gold Dust, I believe," he said. "Similar to how the previous Kazekage controlled Iron Sand."

"It seems that he possesses a derivative of that which allows him to control sand in general," the Kazekage continued. "Such things do occur in our world and it has great potential, alas the burden of such power has been taxing upon him. Though he has been ordered not to attempt anything lethal upon his opponents after the Preliminaries, I cannot guarantee the Uchiha's life should he refuse to surrender."

"To be a shinobi is to risk one's life, no matter what the case may be," Sarutobi sagely noted. "We are all aware of the risks, but I would not judge him before the match begins. He may surprise you."

That being said, Sarutobi already given the proctor clear instructions. He would intervene should things become dire. Itachi would not appreciate his brother's death and they wouldn't let the last of his bloodline be erased for an unnecessary competition.

Even as the small talk petered out when the proctor took the field, Sarutobi couldn't shake the sensation that something was on the verge of happening. Whatever it was that his old apprentice had planned would surely come about today and they had measures in place, but he could only hope that their Hidden Sand allies would not be caught in the midst of it. The last thing they needed was an incident or accidental death leading to another Great War…

He would have to remain vigilant.

 **[0-0-0]**

Naruto stood along with the rest of the participants in the center of the field, positioned between Sasuke and Shino as the proctor gave them a once over of the rules. He mostly tuned it out, focusing on the crowd instead. He wanted others to notice him growing up and now he had more eyes on him than he ever had before. Only a handful of them were people he knew, but all the same he couldn't afford to blunder in front of a large crowd.

His eyes peered through the sheer numbers of strangers in an effort to find Karin. The thought of her kiss still left his heart hammering in his chest, but he told himself it was just for good luck. Not because she liked him in the same way that Sakura would fawn over Sasuke.

In the end, it was her distinctive shade of red hair that eventually led him to her, nestled next to a pink and brunette pair—Sakura and Ayame. All three of them waved towards him, though he was sure Sakura was doing so for Sasuke too. He flashed them all a wide-smile, only to get a sharp glare from the proctor that made him flatten out his expression while Sasuke rolled his eyes next to him.

As the Old Man gave them a speech before announcing that it was time for the competition to begin, Naruto took deep breaths. He trained for this with Karin, Sakura, and Gama-sensei. All he had to do was remember the strategy they came up with, the conditioning he had been put through, and his purpose for standing there in the arena. Once the speech was finished and the others headed back, Naruto stood across from Neji and faced him.

"Your cousin asked me not to hurt you too badly because she obviously cares more about you than you do her," he told his opponent before the proctor called for the match to start. "So I'm giving you one last chance to apologize before I make you pay in blood for what you did to her."

"You speak as though that is something you are capable of doing," the Hyuuga responded, a calm certainty in his voice as a pulse of chakra erupted from his eyes. The veins around them swelled to the point they were visible beneath this skin. "I can see otherwise. The outcome of this match has been determined since the moment of your birth."

"Keep telling yourself that." Naruto adjusted his stance and tensed his hands, one ready to reach for his back pouch and the other for his kunai holster. "It'll just make it look better when I win after the all the training I've done."

"You doubt my words, but I speak the truth," he stated. "Your false belief, the very act of entertaining the notion of victory, is merely born of your ignorance—a privilege of those unable to see the irrefutable chains of fate that shackles them. If you could, you would not harbor such delusions about your chances of victory changing simply because you exerted yourself over the last month in an ultimately futile endeavor. You would simply accept your defeat and surrender, sparing yourself the pain and embarrassment of having me bring about the inevitable."

Naruto wanted to dismiss his words as a method he used to psyche his opponents out, but he could tell that the other boy truly believed that. It wasn't just words to him, but an absolute truth as certain as the sky was blue. Effort didn't make a difference to him, a stark contrast to his teammate Lee.

"If that's true, then I'll simply have to shatter the chains of Fate," Naruto retorted. The month he spent training with the girls, the promises he made, the lessons with the tutor the Old Man had gotten him, all of it was for this moment. He wouldn't lose to someone who didn't believe that effort could triumph over Fate and reinforce that twisted belief.

"You two done now?" asked the proctor, an eyebrow raised in annoyance as he shifted the senbon in his mouth from one side to the other. They both nodded. "Good. Then let the first match of the Chuunin Exam Finals begin!"

Naruto leapt back as far as he could while Neji lunged forward, intent on crossing the distance in a flurry of steps. That was expected and he had practiced for it with Byakko. He grabbed and flung explosive-tagged kunai with one hand while cradling smoke bombs in the other.

The former flew in a spread pattern and triggered in mid-flight before they reached him, unleashing a thunderous chorus of explosions. The heat and force spread out in all directions, kicking up dust and dirt, and forced the Hyuuga stop his approach or risk being caught inside the blast radius by trying to slip in between them.

The latter were flung into the air and ruptured. The collective smoke bombs spilled out billowing clouds of fume that melded with the dirty veil kicked up by initial explosions. Between the two of them, a good part of the battlefield became obscured from the view of the audience.

 _Part one complete_ , Naruto thought as he moved onto the next part.

 **[0-0-0]**

"Ahh, I didn't think it'd be so loud!" the waitress next to Sakura said, wincing as she covered her ears. She was far from the only person to do so, given a good portion of the audience weren't shinobi or used to explosions. They'd be used to them by the time the match ended if things dragged out too long—or deaf.

"Naruto's seeded the battlefield now." Sakura shifted her gaze to Karin at the declaration. The girl peered into the thick smoke as though she possessed a Byakugan herself. "The transformed clones are scattered and he's making more to work on padding them out."

"So all that smoke was to hide what he was doing from his opponent?"Ayame asked as she lowered her hands.

Sakura shook her head. "His opponent can see through the smoke easy enough. The whole point was so that everyone _else_ couldn't. The judges evaluating the matches are taking into account the strategy being used against the opponent and will compare it on a broader scale, so while a Hyuuga won't be deceived, others would in the field. And if he manages to beat him despite the advantage the Byakugan gives his opponent, it will show he took information about his opponent's abilities into account and came up with a viable strategy regardless of circumstances."

The smoke thinned, allowing the audience to get a better view of a single silhouette that was moving and lashing out at a number of others around it. When it cleared there were over a dozen Narutos confronting the Hyuuga, some lingering out of his striking range while one in particular stayed far away at the rear. That was the one he rushed forward to strike, dispersing three that got in his way as he slid to a stop and prepared to thrust his palm out.

Then there was a flicker and shift in the lingering smoke around them as the Naruto there was now armed with a kunai, poised to stab his opponent. Neji immediately spun on balls of his feet, twisting his body before it could pierce his skull, and returning the fatal strike with a palm-thrust to the head. He didn't waste the chakra on the clone, but the force alone was enough to disperse it…

Only to reveal a concussive explosive-tag left behind. It went off with a shockwave of force that blew away the remaining smoke obscuring that section of the field. Tendrils of the fume clung to the Hyuuga as he hopped back and was immediately set upon by more clones that tried to grab him.

"Okay, explain that for me," Ayame said as another clone exploded when hit, this time sending his opponent staggering forward. There was a notable change in how he blocked and redirected the next clone into another one rather than pop it himself.

"Body Replacement," Sakura said. "Naruto's clones are self-aware and can substitute with him or the other clones if they see an opening or need to protect the original. Because they're essentially constructs made from the same chakra source, have the same body type, and the same mass, the lag time for substituting with them is next to nothing and allows him to cross the battlefield safely. And, by swapping with one that had a sealing tag attached to it beforehand, the moment it was destroyed the violent dispersion of the chakra set it off."

Even if his opponent could see the clones, the Byakugan couldn't tell them apart from the original because they shared their chakra evenly upon creation and had a matching chakra system. The only exceptions were the clones that he created before the match and had been changed with a Transformation technique. Even then, it meant that no one but Naruto had an accurate gauge of just how much chakra he really had since he could have it returned to him by dispelling a clone.

"So he has to avoid hitting the wrong Naruto or he'll risk getting blown up again," the waitress realized. "That means he can't simply pop them all, but at the same time he'll risk being swarmed."

"That's the plan," Karin stated. "Naruto has far more chakra than his opponent, more attack options, and can overwhelm him through sheer numbers. He'll only get stronger with every mistake his opponent makes until they force him to surrender or knock him out. In fact, the only reason he hasn't simply mobbed his opponent is because he's making it all clear for the judges while hiding his other trump cards just in case."

No sooner than she said that did the smoke finish clearing and everyone could see the Hyuuga was surrounded on all sides. The clones numbered at least twenty, every one of them out of arms reach and armed with kunai and shuriken. Sakura could hear the clones telling him a final time to surrender, only to be met with a silent refusal that they responded to with a volley of steel from all sides. It was like an iron maiden, a trap that he couldn't possibly escape from.

Naruto didn't aim for the vitals. He didn't want to kill Hinata's cousin despite being enemies for the moment. But no matter how his opponent moved blood would be drawn and the injury would either force him to surrender or leave him vulnerable to another barrage. Yet, despite not scoring a solid hit on Naruto and being entrapped, a faint smile came across the Hyuuga's face as they closed in….

Then he spun around and revealed a trump card of his own.


	13. Chapter 13

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 **Enjoy!**

Hinata couldn't help but feel that her cousin was truly talented as he unleashed the Kaiten, deflecting the rain of projectiles and sending them askew. He must've taught himself how to do it, given how no one from the main branch would have taught him out of tradition, a true genius of their generation. She'd often thought that it was a mistake he was born in the branch family of their clan when he was so talented.

"Oh, come on!" Kiba shouted from next to her as the technique came to an end and revealed her cousin standing in the center of a smooth crater formed by the spiraling dome of chakra. "He almost had him!"

In contrast to her agitated teammate, Hinata felt relieved he hadn't been hurt by Naruto's attack. She didn't want them to fight to begin with. At the same time, she didn't see how Naruto could win now. The Kaiten was the perfect defense of their clan and her cousin had the upper-hand at close-range combat.

"Grrr… Naruto, better have something else up his sleeve," Kiba continued. "I swear, if he loses now after all that talk from before I'll never let him hear the end of it."

 **[0-0-0]**

Naruto couldn't keep the surprise off his face as his opponent stood in front of the clones unbothered and self-assured. In his defense, Hinata hadn't mentioned he could do _that_. Even if she had, it didn't change the fact that beating him would be _much_ harder now.

"There is no need to be surprised," Neji calmly stated. "Like I said before, your Fate was determined ahead of time. You cannot defeat me. No matter what you do, you will lose here."

That wiped the look of surprise off their faces and replaced it with a series of frowns. The original Naruto gave the signal for them to attack while getting ready to swap with a pre-prepared tagged clone that was under the Transformation technique. That was when Neji threw down several smoke bombs of his own and turned Naruto's own strategy against him, using the grey veil to conceal himself from their view. The clones that were inside of the smokescreen began dying in earnest and, before Naruto could make a swap with one of the clones he had set up for that purpose, the spares were speared with kunai and their destruction triggered the tags attached to them.

"I pity you," Neji said from within the smoke cloud. "Just like Lee, your ambitions will come to an end against an opponent whose ability was simply able to undermine your strategy. Your efforts were in vain because you could not see what was written in stone from the moment I was your opponent."

 _Don't listen to him_ , Naruto thought to himself as he grew increasingly aware of the dwindling number of reserve clones. It was almost as if he felt their demise through a phantom sense of pain from within the veil, but he instinctively pushed that to the back of his mind as he focused on defense. He pulled out the Barrier Tags and set them around him in the four points of the cardinal directions, holding a fifth one in his off-hand while a concussive-tagged kunai found its way into his dominant one.

A trio of kunai with explosive tags of their own broke through the smoke towards Naruto, who flung his own towards them. All four went off on impact and blinded Naruto further as the force and smoke billowed, forcing him to cover his eyes. He channeled chakra into the Barrier Tag in his hand to be safe, and it fed that chakra into the four surrounding him to form a defensive barrier invisible to the naked eye.

That was when a spread of five shuriken broke through the smoke from the front, meant to make him move. The Hyuuga came from the side in an attempt to flank him when he did so, having thrown the shuriken so that they curved. It was useless as the five shuriken impacted the barrier and fell to the ground, leaving Naruto with no need to move as Neji skidded to a stop two feet away from the barrier.

"Had Fate been kinder, perhaps you could have prevailed against one of the others," he said before spinning in place while wreathing himself in chakra and expanding it. A deafening, screeching noise came from the grinding of the Kaiten against the invisible bulwark erected by the Barrier Tags set around him. The two chakra-based defenses clashed against one another while the lingering smoke dispersed at the gale created from the rotation, but the difference between them was evident.

One was meant to repel through what amounted to a thin film of chakra made into a bulwark, while the other was meant to be the whole solution as both an offense and defense. Even if the Kaiten hadn't sheared it open faster than his chakra could replace the layer being scraped away, the ground gave out from the constant grating and unanchored the perimeter tags.

The net result was the same in the end. Naruto's defense failed and the Kaiten fully expanded, allowing the spinning dome of chakra to sweep him up entirely. The only mercy was that he hadn't anchored himself to the ground with a variation of the Wall-Walking technique. If he had, it would have ground away at his flesh and bones until they were scraped raw and turned to dust. Instead, it shredded the front of his jumpsuit and the skin of his forearms instinctively raised in defensive before it tossed him aside violently.

 _I can't lose like this,_ he thought as the world spun from his head smacking the ground as he tumbled messily. He bit down on his own lower lip to avoid losing consciousness from the impact and then tensed his legs and hands while flooding them with chakra beneath the surface. They caught the ground on the next impact and allowed him to remain on all-fours as the compacted earth gave away from the momentum, leaving him digging a trench several feet long as he skidded to a stop and panted.

 **[0-0-0]**

Sakura found herself wincing at the sight of Naruto on his hands and knees, bleeding from the impact of the attack and the bad spill he took. She'd seen him take worse beatings on their missions and in the Forest of Death, but those weren't from people who came from the same village. They hadn't expected that last attack and now her teammate was paying the price for it.

"That looked really bad," Ayame said, a sisterly sort of worry in her voice and eyes at the sight. "Someone should call the match before he gets hurt anymore."

"He still has a chance if he can get around that defense," Sakura told her as she glanced to Karin. The girl was completely silent, but her face and body language made it clear that she was feeling a whole slew of negative emotions.

Her eyes were wide with worry, at the same time angled into an expression of pure fury at Naruto's opponent. Her jaw was tight from clenching her teeth behind her pursed lips so hard they were trembling. She unconsciously rubbed a spot on her arm like there was a nervous itch there and it looked like she was doing all she could not to rush out of her seat to be by his side.

That was when a shout that eclipsed the majority of the crowd nearby came from one of the rows above them. **"GET THE FUCK UP NARUTO!"**

Sakura turned her head towards it to see Kiba standing up, an almost feral expression on his face. Next to him was Hinata, who looked horrified at the sight of Naruto being injured by her cousin. There were actually tears in her eyes, which only seemed to further fuel the Inuzuka's rage. He jumped down and past them until he reached the railing that separated the audience from the field.

 **"I DIDN'T LOSE JUST SO YOU'D HAND THE WIN OVER TO THAT BASTARD!"** he yelled at Naruto, likely held back from jumping over it by an Anbu officer appearing next to him and setting a finger to his forehead. Whatever they did worked quick enough that he only managed to get another two words out before he passed out. _"Stand… up…"_

Sakura watched as the officer disappeared with him in a Body Flicker, likely to go and give him a dressing down in private. Either way, the encouragement did seem to have some effect. Because when she turned back to the field, Sakura saw Naruto was on his own two feet again.

 **[0-0-0]**

It said something that, even with the roar of the crowd, Naruto could hear Kiba yelling at him to get up. Everything hurt, blood seeped from the tears in his skin and his mouth, and the world seesawed. But Naruto managed to get back up onto his feet and faced his opponent once more.

"Surrender," Neji said from the distance. "If we go any further, I can't guarantee you'll survive. There's no shame in accepting the defeat that Fate has laid out for you. The more you struggle against it, the more it will hurt until the very end."

"Not after everything they've done for me this last month and the promise I made," Naruto said. He had to beat him with what Karin and Sakura taught him, and it had to be under his own power if he was going to keep his promise to Hinata. Otherwise, it really would all be meaningless. He drew a kunai with a tag on it and beckoned his opponent forth. "Bring it on!"

"So be it." Neji darted forward and Naruto threw the kunai. The Hyuuga dodged the tagged kunai and threw a shuriken towards it upon recognizing it was a transformed clone. He wouldn't let him risk pulling off another substitution or being caught in the explosion that could follow. Then he skidded to a stop in front of Naruto in the Gentle Fist stance. "You are in range of my divination. There's no escaping now."

Naruto only stilled his lungs and smirked as Byakko pounced from behind and suddenly exploded in what looked to be a fresh veil of smoke.

 **[0-0-0]**

Sasuke found himself thinking that Naruto had been all talk when his opponent saw through the final transformed clone. Of course he would have seen through it when Naruto had done that very same thing earlier in the match. His assessment changed when he caught sight of the green-rimmed tag on the kunai since his Sharingan allowed him to perfectly memorize details and he had caught sight of all of the ones that Naruto had used to this point during the match.

It wasn't like the others, but his opponent didn't know that. He didn't think twice about it, believing that Naruto had run out of tricks and focusing solely on the finishing strike. That was why he didn't see the clone holding a mask and attaching the tag to it before the shuriken impacted the clone.

The hit dispersed it, but not before the mask tumbled free and Sasuke caught sight of what looked to be blood on the back of it. A chakra construct formed from that point and touched down on the ground for a split-second. Then it pounced, upturning the dirt around its paws as it speared towards the Hyuuga.

His opponent's eyesight spared him from having his bones broken as he twisted his body to avoid the impact, but the surprise of it left him breathing in the smoke that came from the tag on the mask before he jumped back further. Naruto meanwhile used his chakra to anchor his hands on the tiger and was pulled out of the smoke cloud, gasping for air as the tiger ran alongside the wall using chakra on its paws. It came to a stop at a safe distance, leaving Naruto mounted on its back and staring down his foe.

"When did the Leaf get their own puppeteers?" asked the girl from Hidden Sand on the other end of the contestants' booth. They were separated from the rest of the audience to avoid sabotage from the shinobi who were in the audience, though they personally divided into sides from their different villages. Her voice gave away her shock at the fact that Naruto pulled something similar to what the guy with war-paint on his face could do.

"Not a puppet," the puppeteer said. "No strings attached. It's probably capable of some level of independent action. Might be a summoning?"

"Doubt it," Shikamaru said from his seat on the bench, head perched on his chin as he watched with a bored expression. He kept his voice lower so that the others from Leaf could hear it. "I didn't see him making any hand-seals."

"Perhaps his tutor provided it for his match?" Shino offered as an answer while he stood in front of the railing and observed the match. Unlike his teammate, he at least kept his composure while watching the match. "Naruto had been confident that he could defeat his opponent before now, so he likely trained with it over the month. He must have a plan, otherwise he would have used it from the start."

 _Or because he didn't want to give away all his secrets when I was up against him next_ , Sasuke reasoned. If that was the case, he'd watch to see what it was capable of. Because when Naruto won it would be Sasuke's turn to deal with it, after rolling over Gaara of the Desert. And while he couldn't use the Chidori against his teammate, that didn't mean he hadn't considered a way to make use of his secondary-element better.

 **[0-0-0]**

Naruto removed the expended sealing tag from Byakko's mask. Either the poison was in his opponent's system or it wasn't and he'd simply beat Neji the old fashioned way. He anchored himself to the tiger and kept low as he gave the order. "Just like in practice, Byakko."

 _'Understood.'_ Byakko exploded in movement at the command, rushing forward fast enough that it upturned the ground in a straight pounce. The Hyuuga's flexibility saved him as he managed to dodge, but his Gentle Fist counterstrike did nothing against Byakko. It used its momentum to keep going forward before bouncing off the ground, against a tree, and then back at him at another angle as Naruto dropped a concussive tag in their wake.

The explosion forced Neji out of his stable guard, allowing Byakko to clip him on a third pass. The speed and weight of the tiger managed to dislocate or break a shoulder, leaving him only one arm to work with as the tiger came around for another angled attack. Neji gritted his teeth as he released chakra from every point in his body and unleashed the Kaiten as they came in again.

"Up!" Naruto commanded as he created a bulk of expendable clones in front of the spiraling dome of chakra. Byakko hit them and pushed upwards with it forelegs, sending it into aerial roll over the top. It landed on the other side as the dome sputtered out and Neji held his head from Karin's poison spreading faster with the increased activity. "Let's do the finisher we practiced!"

 _'Understood!'_ Byakko lunged for Neji again, who moved to avoid it with a notable lack of grace. Naruto jumped off mid-pounce and used the forward momentum to deliver a flying kick that landed solidly and Neji staggered backwards. Shadow Clones popped into existence right then and hit him with the combo.

 **"U!"** One clone delivered a right cross to the face that left him seeing stars. **"Zu!"** Another used a jumping knee to the chest to knock him into the four clones raising their legs to kick him into the air. **"Maki!"** Then the white tiger dropped down on him from above and bounced off his aerial supine figure, sending him downwards. **"Tiger Barrage!"**

Neji hit the ground hard enough that he bounced up by a foot and a pained cry was forced out of his mouth. His entire body trembled as he tried to stand again. Byakko promptly placed one paw on his chest and pushed down to pin him into place. "This can't be…"

"Not quite as easy as I expected, but it's over," Naruto said. "The poison's in your body now and Byakko's got you pinned. You're done."

 _"P-Poison?_ " He struggled to breathe with how hard the tiger was pressing until it lightened with a gesture of Naruto's finger. "When?"

"That last smokescreen Byakko released had poison mixed into it." He held up the spent tag. "It's not fatal, but it did make you sloppy. A backup plan that I was planning to use on Sasuke, but you forced my hand when you pulled that spinning trick out of nowhere. I don't think even Byakko would've been able to get past it if you didn't brush off that last tagged kunai as another explosive-rigged clone and got caught by surprise."

"A trick," he insisted. "Fate has—"

"Been beaten," Naruto finished for him. "I'm the one standing here and now, thanks to everything the others did for me over this last month. Sure, if they hadn't helped me and given me the encouragement I needed, you might've won. There's only so far you can go alone, but with others you can break free of whatever chains Fate has wrapped around you."

"… Do you …" There was a note of caution in his voice. It was almost as if he was afraid to ask. "Do you really think it's possible to escape Fate?"

"Believe it," Naruto said in absolute certainty. "Now are you going to call it or do I have Byakko bat you around like an oversized toy because Fate insists that I'm going to lose?"

Neji seemed pensive at that for a long moment. Then he deactivated his eyes. "I am no longer able to fight. I forfeit the match."

On cue, the proctor showed himself from whatever shadow he had been hiding in and called it. **"The winner of the first match is Naruto Uzumaki!"**


	14. Chapter 14

**Another Chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

The crowd cheered at the conclusion on the match, music to Sarutobi's ears in the wake of both the sportsmanship presented and the outcome. Pride filled his old heart. He couldn't help but smile beneath the veil obscuring his mouth as Naruto withdrew the creature back into the mask and waved at the crowd.

"An excellent opening match," said the Kazekage as he observed as well. "Both combatants proved themselves to be prepared for multiple scenarios, keeping their hands hidden until necessary—a necessity in our profession."

"Indeed. They used the advantages bequeathed to them both well. Their resourcefulness should be taken into account when the time comes for the judgment."

The fact that the young Hyuuga managed to perform one of the techniques reserved for his clan's main branch, and looked like he was getting ready to perform another, spoke of true talent. More so because he could not have possibly been taught them, given how Sarutobi had seen little break in tradition from their clan. Between him and his other apprentice from the preliminaries, it was clear that Guy was doing something right with his students.

Just the same, Naruto's tactical fighting had proven he was capable of utilizing the basics to an efficient degree, with the versatility that came from being without a specialization or heralding from an active clan. For all the talk of how clan-raised shinobi had more resources to work with, many detractors seemed to forget that they were also limited to a narrowed field of specialization due to how they learned to mold their chakra for their techniques. Their weaknesses become engrained over time, such as the Hyuuga being limited to close-ranged techniques barring few exceptions—which Naruto exploited quite well.

"I must admit, I found the creature he called forth to be interesting," continued the Kazekage. "It doesn't carry the same air as a puppet, nor a summoning."

"It's a tool that was created by his clan and recently rediscovered. That is all that can be said on the subject for the moment. However, I image it will make for a good showing against your eldest son should they meet one another in battle."

Curiosity briefly danced in the foreign Kage's eyes at the mention. "Perhaps… but for now, I will content myself with the results of the next match. It is highly-anticipated after all."

 **[0-0-0]**

As he followed behind Neji, who was being carried to the infirmary room on a stretcher because of the poison, in the corridor, Naruto winced. The ache of where he had been skinned and the soft bruising that came from where he had been smacked against the ground became pronounced with the loss of adrenaline. Despite that, he considered it a small miracle he didn't get his tenketsu blocked and hoped that the bolstered healing from the fox would kick in soon enough.

Still, he couldn't help but have a satisfied smile on his face. He had actually won his first match, in front of the Old Man and everyone. And the people cheered for him when he did!

Naruto looked down at the mask in his hands. He won because of everyone's help, even if they hadn't been prepared for that trick Neji pulled out of thin air. But it wouldn't be easy to win again now that everyone was anticipating him using Byakko, and they'd keep an eye out for the poison gas too. Even so, he won!

A needling excitement spread throughout his body. He felt compelled to go tell the others and thank them. But he couldn't leave the combatant's area because of the rules when it came to sabotage… then again, a transformed Shadow Clone wasn't him now, was it?

He created one and had it take on an unassuming appearance before handing it the mask. That would be proof to show to Karin and Sakura that it came from him without un-transforming in the middle of the stands and getting questions thrown about. The clone then departed down a turn in the corridor while the real Naruto went the other way. There he ran across Sasuke heading in the direction he had just left to get out onto the field.

"You were sloppy at the end," he said. "I hope you didn't give away everything you could do there. Otherwise our next match will be short."

"Who knows?" Naruto shrugged as he walked forward. "There was more than one mask in that temple. I bet a few of them could give you a run for your money on their own."

"Hmph." The trademark Uchiha grin appeared on his face as he walked past his teammate. "As if."

"Sasuke." He turned to see Naruto staring at him, cerulean eyes tempered with earnest resolve. Naruto pressed a thumb to his forehead protector baring their village's emblem. "More than anyone else here, I want to face you. Don't lose."

The Uchiha took a moment to register the sincerity in his words before he responded. "Don't forget, I'm an Uchiha." He tapped his own resting on his forehead. "I'll wipe the floor with him and then it'll be your turn."

 **[0-0-0]**

"Naruto was amazing, wasn't he?" Ayame said cheerfully, still clapping even after he had departed.

Sakura breathed easier as she nodded. Despite the surprises, the first of her teammates had managed to get his victory in the tournament and came one step to his very vocal dream of becoming Hokage. It made her proud that she had done something for his sake, that she was useful.

Karin, on the other hand, was shaking. Sweat dotted her paling face and her breathing was labored. It looked as though she had caught something.

"What's wrong?" Ayame asked as she ran her fingers along the younger girl's face. "Are you okay?"

"I just feel a bit…ill with worry," she claimed, standing up. "Forgive me, I just need a moment and I'll be right back." She slipped out of the row and then ran up the stairs to the entrance of the corridors, presumably heading towards the bathroom.

"I hope she'll be okay," said the ramen waitress with concern nestled with her eyes.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," said a third voice. Sakura and Ayame twisted their heads towards the source to see that Kakashi had abruptly appeared. "Glad to see you both here to support the boys."

Ayame was immediately smitten with his praise, a luminescent blush prominent on her face. "W-Well, Naruto is like a little brother to me…."

Sakura, for her part, shifted to her immediate concerns for the next match. She had given Sasuke's bout ample thought, about how it could play out, and to that end she came to her own conclusions on what he could have been taught by their sensei. "Kakashi-sensei, did you teach him Genjutsu or how to use the Lightning chakra?"

"Hmm…a good guess." He nodded his head slightly. "Sasuke's Sharingan could allow him to use the Eye of Hypnotism, but his focus is too geared towards the Eye of Insight aspect to weave a Genjutsu properly. In addition, his opponent defenses are automatic regardless of his state from what we can assume. So I taught him how to utilize Lightning chakra and worked on his speed so that he could match Guy's apprentice."

She should have been relieved at learning that he would at least have a better chance of survival than Lee did. Yet her heart couldn't stop thundering in her chest at the prospect of him having to fight that Sand shinobi.

Perhaps sensing this, Kakashi leaned forward and slightly rustled her hair. "Have faith, Sakura."

She nodded silently as Sasuke emerged onto the field and his opponent followed suit, landing from upon a floating cloud of sand.

 **[0-0-0]**

Karin held her chest, taking deep breaths as she supported herself against one of the walls within the corridors. She could feel _his_ chakra amidst the crowd, mingling in place of an Anbu officer. Kabuto didn't move when she did, so he wasn't chasing her, but she wouldn't be able to rest in comfort unless she was very far away from here.

Orochimaru was already there, having taken the Kazekage's place. She didn't know how or when he had done so, but it did explain how he had gotten Sand on their side. Worse, he was in a perfect position to assassinate the Hokage with the other four who were disguised as two through the use of a technique while the other Kage only had one guard….

Wait, no. That wasn't right. There was a subtle, almost ethereal pocket of chakra beneath him, expanding like a bubble. The signature was familiar too, Naruto's tutor. Gama was resting _beneath_ the Hokage's somehow, hiding in his shadow if she had to guess.

She took a deep breath and forcibly ignored the familiar signatures of Orochimaru and Kabuto, which took some doing given her powers usually magnified when she was afraid to focus on threats. The refined focused on her Mind's Eye spread over the crowd in the arena, some of the signatures belonging to the people in the audience. A good deal of them were foreign signatures, probably sleepers, but some she recognized as the Anbu who occasionally exchanged shifts while watching her.

They weren't all positioned around as guards like Kabuto was pretending to be. Instead, they were sitting with the crowd. Was the Hokage actually anticipating an attack or were they simply having a day off? The former was the more likely scenario. In that case, assuming they had other measures in place she didn't know about, they might be able to fend off the worst of the invasion.

Either way, Karin wouldn't be able to stay. If the village was destroyed, Orochimaru would displeased by her inability to bring Naruto to him—something she _refused_ to do after everything he'd done for her—and would punish her. If the village survived, she'd be pegged as a spy soon enough. They had to do a thorough investigation on how they were infiltrated after an invasion and Karin didn't doubt at least most of the Sound forces had been given specific instructions to either capture or escort her, Naruto, and Sasuke to his nearest base.

All it would take was one prisoner and one T&I appointment. Then there would be one Uzumaki joining them both. There was really no choice but for her to run away.

 _I got so sloppy_ , Karin chastised herself. _I knew from the beginning and told myself that there was no happy ending, but Naruto made me so happy with how he was just so straightforwardly warm that I fell in…_

" _Oh no…._ " The realization that slowly dawned on her left her weak in her knees, forcing her to lean her back on the wall and slide down it until she was curled up. "I fell in love with him, didn't I?"

Or at least as close as love got for her; it wasn't like she had much experience besides the familial love that she had for her mother. The affection she felt for Naruto was different in irrefutable ways. She couldn't mistake one for another.

The boy was a year her junior, not much to look at, and didn't have much to his name. But she liked his personality, how he was so bright in life, and the texture of his chakra. He never asked her for anything and gave her everything, from his trust to the sort of life she wished she could have had. She was happier around him than she had been in a long time, a sort of happiness that she did her best to make sure he got to experience as well by helping him.

Her focus then shifted to the signature coming down the corridor, the familiar warmth undeniable. It was Naruto, or a clone of him judging by the chakra level. He was in a rush, even though she couldn't feel anyone chasing him, and turned the corner into view.

"What are you doing here, Naruto?" Karin asked as she wiped her eyes. "You shouldn't be breaking the rules like this by coming here."

"You knew it was me?" he asked.

She recognized her mistake when she looked up and saw his transformed brows closing in and looking pensive. It was another sloppy mistake on her part. She hadn't been looking and recognized his chakra before his appearance.

Karin bit her lower lip in thought of what lie to tell… and then decided against it. This was a clone, not the original, and she was getting ready to run away while everyone was distracted with the most anticipated match of the Finals. This could be her last chance to see Naruto in any shape or form, and if she went without getting everything off her chest, it would only weigh her down further.

She needed closure. That would be the best way to describe it—to know if her feelings would have been reciprocated or rejected. Either one would be fine as long as she didn't have to think on the endless 'what-ifs' that came from not getting an answer.

"I'm a Sensor, Naruto." She stood up and pushed herself off the wall. "I can sense your chakra whether or not you're transformed. We're alone so you can drop it."

The clone did as told and dropped the transformation and revealed a mirror perfect image of the lovable blond she had come to know. In his hands was Byakko's mask. "That's amazing, Karin-chan. I had bought this so you wouldn't be surprised, but I guess I didn't need to."

"You mean the original you," she corrected him. "Shadow Clones are really amazing. You look just like him, down to the last detail."

"So you can sense that too…." He scratched at his cheek. It seemed like he was unsure of whether or not he should feel complimented when he was a clone.

"Will you listen to me?" she asked. "I have something important I want to say, and I want you to listen to the end and be honest with me. Okay?"

"Umm, I guess I can, but you'd really be better off talking to the original if it's that important."

"I'm too much of a coward to do that… too much of a coward to do anything else besides runaway." She took a deep breath and then looked him square into his peerless cerulean eyes. "Naruto, I was told to capture you by a very bad man."

His expression went from confused to wary almost immediately. "What do you mean?"

"When you told me your name in the forest, I wanted to know more about my clan but the village I was with wouldn't let me stay unless I agreed to send them information. But, in truth, I was a spy for another person and only joined them because he told me to a year ago. He told me that I was supposed to knock you out and bring you with me to him while… something bad happened during the Finals."

"So…" He swallowed and his breathing staggered. He was afraid to ask. "Everything we did, was just to get close to me?"

"It was real, if that's what you're asking," she claimed. "I did things for you because I wanted to, not just because of my orders. I wish I could say that it wasn't tainted by the fact that he told me to get close to you, but it is. I just wanted to get to know you and he… they poisoned that innocent wish. Believe me, Naruto. _Please_."

The clone licked his lips, trying to form the words. "I… were you going to actually do it?"

She slowly shook her head. "Naruto, this man and his apprentice are… **terrifying**. I'm scared of them both. But I can't take you to them knowing how they'd hurt you. I wouldn't wish that on my asshole teammates, let alone you. But if I don't bring you in then they'll punish me."

"What will they do to you?" he asked. "If you don't bring me, I mean?"

"Who knows?" She brushed her hair behind her left ear and looked down at where he had bitten her weeks ago. "I'm useful, but they don't need my mind intact. Maybe they'd just mess with my head until I was a brainless husk that they used to keep experiments alive, if I was lucky."

"Well, what about the Old Man?" The clone nodded as he strung his thoughts together. "Yeah, we can go to him together. He'll protect you."

"I can't." She'd already thought about how that would end. "The penalty _might_ be reduced to a long prison sentence if the information I knew was minimal, but you saw the scars on that man's head during the Written Exam from being tortured for information. The information I have is considered S-Class in terms of secrecy and who I was spying for, so they'd execute me after they got what they wanted—however they could."

"S-Class…" He seemed to pale at that. "You don't mean—"

"I never cared that you're a jinchuuriki, if that's what you're getting at." Her fingers reached up and gently stroked his cheek. She felt a slight pang in her heart when he flinched at her touch, but continued. "You're not like that Gaara, you're in control of yourself and your seal is better. I never once felt threatened around you. In fact, I…I'm in love with you."

The clone stood there, dumbfounded at the admission with his mouth partly opened. He didn't know how to respond to that. Even so, Karin continued to vent her feelings to him.

"I've fallen in _love with_ you." Her voice cracked at the end, and the tears clawed their way out from behind her eyes. "I'm happy being around you, and I want to make you happy. The thought of living in this village and being with you made me so… _excited_ and _miserable_ at the same time, because it was a dream that I _knew_ wouldn't come true."

She clung to him tightly, clenching the back of his jumpsuit and crying miserably on his shoulder. "Why did I have to meet you? Why did you have to make me feel this way when it could only end badly? It's like I'm being punished for wanting to know more about my people and you, mocking me with promises of what could have been!"

Naruto's clone went rigid for a moment, stilling his lungs and tensing his muscles as if to shake her off. Then he embraced her and patted her on the back in silence. It was all he could do.

Karin pulled herself together after a minute or so. She leaned back so that she faced him properly, so close their foreheads could touch. "That's why I'm running away now, while I can. I can't betray you, and I can't stay here. So I'll disappear and run until I find someplace they hopefully can't find me."

"Don't go." There was a strained hitch in his voice. "W-We'll find some way for it to work out. You didn't want to do anything bad. You didn't have a choice, right?"

"I can't." Her fingers found themselves on the back of his head, nestled in his hair. "We won't see each other again. I'm too much of a coward to risk staying, and too ashamed to even admit it to the real you. Even now, I just wanted to know if you'd forgive me for everything."

"I—the real me would!" There was no doubt in his voice. "Please, don't—"

She silenced him with a kiss, pressing against his lips in a fevered and desperate attempt to capture a moment that would never come again. While the clone was distracted with the kiss, to the extent of dropping the mask, she pulled out a kunai as stealthily as possible. She didn't want him to see it coming or see his face distorting when she eventually plunged it into his body, clone or not. So she embraced him after breaking the kiss and whispered gently into his ear. " _Thank you for everything, Naruto_."

Then she used the kunai on his unprotected back and it dispersed, leaving only the mask to show that the clone once existed. Byakko was fast and she was a sensor on the cusp of a full-on invasion. Between the both of them, she could hopefully be well outside of the Land of Fire's borders quickly and without being detected.

She picked up the mask and ran towards the exit while the crowd roared at the start of the match.

 _Goodbye forever, Naruto…_


	15. Chapter 15

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

"And then I—" The memories came rushing to Naruto in the middle of talking to Shikamaru and Shino, the former lazily leaning on the railing and the latter keeping his eyes on Sasuke and Gaara as they stood opposite each other on the field. He reeled backwards, stumbling over his own feet and then falling onto his rear. The others looked to see that he was covering his mouth, a spot of red on his cheeks.

Shikamaru's head craned around from his perch on the railing and he eyed Naruto wearily. "Naruto, what was that?"

"I… uh…" He couldn't find the words or emotions. Not when the memories all came rushing at him at once. He could recall the sight of her tears, the sweet scent wafting from her skin, and the softness of her kiss. "I have to go!"

Naruto fled back into corridor just before the participants' booth and leaned against the wall, trying to grasp what was happening. Did that really happen? How did he know it wasn't just a fantasy or a delusion? He could be worrying over nothing, yet… Naruto couldn't shake the feeling that it was real.

He had to test it somehow. He rapped his knuckles against his head and frowned as he tried to think of a method. Then he abruptly stopped and looked at his clenched hand. It clicked, and he created two shadow clones.

"Go down the stairs and play a game of Janken," he ordered. "Loser pops himself and the winner comes back."

They did so, disappearing from his line of sight. He paced back and forth for a full minute before the memory returned. The clones had ended up getting the same results due to the similar train of thought until one of them decided they were getting nowhere and dispelled itself. The other came into view ten seconds later and shrugged.

"Okay, so I get the memories of my clones." He slid back against the wall and held a hand against his head, ignoring the cheers coming from outside in lieu of the discovery. "That means it was real…."

The clone looked depressed as well before a sudden determination crossed its face. "I'm going to go check to see if she's left!"

It ran away, leaving the original alone with his thoughts. Karin had… she said that she had fallen in love with him and then kissed him. Then she ran away.

He wasn't sure what to feel there. Just thinking about the kiss left his blood pounding in his ears and his heart hammering at his chest. And yet… she was gone, and now he had to think about everything and question whether she was telling him the truth or just following orders.

 _How do I feel about her_? Naruto wondered as he sat against the wall. He'd felt… safe, around Karin. And she was always encouraging and helping him. He wasn't sure if he loved her in a romantic sense, but he was sure that he cared for her enough over this last month that he'd be willing to put his life on the line to save her.

Right now though, he felt a myriad of other feelings. He was still flustered from the kiss, which was nothing like what he felt when he and Sasuke had that… accident that they swore they would never talk about again.

He was sad at the deception, like a weight in the pit of his stomach. All this time, he had trusted her. He let her into his life and home without a second thought, and it had been orchestrated from the beginning. When he thought about the life they could have had back in the village together, only for it all to be gone now, it made the weight in his stomach heavier.

He tried to think about where she could run off to, just so that he could track her down. It was too much to hope the clone would be able to catch up to her. Chances are she was long gone, and she could sense his chakra so it wouldn't take her any effort to hide or avoid him. There'd still be a chance if she was in the village, but what she said about how the Old Man would have to treat her as a spy also made him sick to his stomach. Should he just let her run away then?

Maybe… but he didn't want to let her leave him behind. That much he knew for certain. And he didn't think she wanted to either. Even if she was acting as a spy, she accepted him for what he held inside of him and never once looked at him with disdain because of it. He would at least try to get the Old Man to show mercy to her.

But, whoever it was that scared her into running away, and trying to play him like a chump in the first place… they were going to pay for this. It was one thing to try and come at him as an enemy, but this was unforgivable. They dangled family in front of him, the one thing in the world he always wanted and never could have, and then used that to mess with him.

The clone returned about two minutes later. It was short of breath. "She's…taken...Byakko."

Naruto groaned as he gritted his teeth. There was no way they would catch up to her if that was the case. "Darn it. Now we'll never find her."

"I don't think she knew that we would gain the memories of a clone when they were destroyed," the clone said, sitting across from the original. "If she did, she probably wouldn't have said anything. I still hate that she left, and that someone put her up to it."

"Maybe if we figured out who that is then we could do something about it?" Naruto scratched his head in thought before speaking aloud again. "It has to be someone who knows we're a jinchuuriki. But that's just about all the adults in the village. Even if the Old Man would put them away, someone could have spilled it."

The clone shrugged. It was true enough. "But they also know that Gaara is also one… and currently fighting Sasuke! Crap!"

Naruto leapt up and grabbed him before he could run off to tell them to stop the match. "Remember what she said before? She sounded so sure that Sasuke wouldn't be hurt too badly during the match. If she knew that much and that he's also a jinchuuriki—"

"They might be in on it too!" The clone settled down. "And Sasuke's eyes are supposed to be super-rare, so whoever is after us might want them. So it'd have to be someone who knows we're a jinchuuriki, possibly works for another village, and probably wants Sasuke's eyes. Do we know someone that fits those three things…?"

They realized at the same time and slapped their foreheads with their palms. " **The creep in the Forest of Death!** "

"They had to have known," Naruto said. "They knew how to screw up the seal on our stomach and messed up our chakra in the first place. From what we learned this month, that sort of thing means you know what you're doing or it goes bad."

"And they put one of Sasuke too and left us alive after beating us," the clone continued. "They did that because they wanted us to get away… and Karin was from the same village, so they could have spoken to her anytime before the rest of her team left. If they wanted her to bring us to them, then chances are they could be hiding somewhere close, or even watching her seat."

"Then we lure them and whoever it is that's working with them out and then pound them," Naruto decided. "And then we'll try to find her somehow. She's a sensor, but we still have Suzaku and can fly. Maybe we can get Kiba to loan us Akamaru to track her by scent?"

Spurred by this revelation, Naruto continued to talk to his clone and essentially bounced ideas off of himself in hopes of comprehending who it was that was threatening Karin and how to find her. While they talked, both were blissfully unaware of the small insect nestled in the original's blond bed of hair. It sat there, listening with the intent of relaying it to the living hive it served.

 **[0-0-0]**

Sasuke leapt back and then darted to the side as three flowing streams of sand reached out to grab him, arching from behind his opponent and acting as another set of arms while his primary ones remained crossed. In a practiced and swift motion, he flung four kunai towards the red-haired boy. The path was direct and thus easy to read, blocked as a surge of sand rose in front of him to intercept them.

 _Now_! He kicked off the ground at full-speed, mirror-wheel eyes spinning in place as the path to take was laid out in front of him. Surprise found itself on his opponent's face as Sasuke suddenly vanished from his untrained sight as the wall of sand lowered. Closing in as a black-blur, he punched through the sand that appeared sluggishly as it tried to cover Gaara's blindside and delivered a double-legged jumping kick that had the full-backing of his speed behind it.

They both flew as a result, Sasuke riding the boy as he sailed airborne. Before the sand-armor that cracked violently under the kick started to entrap his feet, he chambered his legs and then pushed off. The force sent Sasuke backwards in a somersault as Gaara crashed down into the ground, raising a dust cloud that obscured him from view.

Sasuke exhaled as he landed, eyes fixed on the dust cloud as it thinned to reveal Gaara being slow to get back onto his feet. _Like I thought, even after Rock Lee had kicked him all over the arena he hasn't compensated for the set speed of his sand by sharpening his reflexes and ability to track._

That complacency would be his downfall. Sasuke was never one to sit still. To remain stagnant was the same as death, and if he grew complacent he would never surpass his brother.

He rushed forward again only for Gaara to sweep his hand out and send sand surging forward in another attempt to ensnare him. Sasuke used a Body Flicker, using three steps at a speed faster than Gaara could see to get behind him again, and finished the hand-seals to unleash a Grand Fireball large enough to engulf him.

The explosion pounded at his ears as it detonated, hot wind and near-molten bits of sand and dirt scattering about. But the smoke and dust cleared to reveal a dense shell of sand, surrounding him like a cocoon. Sasuke tossed two kunai at it to see just how impenetrable it was, only for them to not even scratch the surface.

He felt the ground trembling underneath him. Reflexes kicked in and he jumped away as sand erupted from the ground in numerous geysers. Then they came alive like thick arms with clawed fingers, reaching down and trying to snatch him up. He was fast enough to dodge them as they came crashing down, hitting the ground hard enough to break them apart into loose sand again.

Sasuke was on the other side of the field by the time the assault ended. The loose sand flowed back to the shell to reinforce it. He couldn't wait anymore if he was going to break through that defense.

He would have to use the Chidori.

 **[0-0-0]**

Sakura breathed easier as Sasuke escaped from the rain of sand. Good. Kakashi-sensei had indeed been keeping his training up using Lee's approach, attacking quickly to avoid the sand, but if that was the case then he would get tired soon and then….

"Oh, you're back," Ayame said from next to her. She turned to see that Karin had come back. "Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine now," she said, though there was a slight change in her voice that Sakura picked up.

She wanted to think that it was just her imagination. But she couldn't help but notice the oddities in Karin's behavior. Her attention was everywhere but the match, spanning instead the audience in search of someone else.

She looked towards the participants' booth and found Naruto doing the same, staring in the same direction in search of something. It didn't take her much thought to piece together a picture. Especially not after helping him train so much over the last month.

Sakura leaned close and whispered. " _What are you doing, Naruto_?"

Tension ran through 'Karin' and her head turned swiftly in Sakura's direction. The transformed clone held a finger up to tell her to be silent. " _Don't give me away_."

Sakura fought the urge to slap her forehead at him breaking the rules. Even if it was a clone, it was still a violation. " _What are you doing here? Where's the real Karin?_ "

Even wearing the face of his clanswoman, she could make out the sad expression that came over his face at the mention of her.

Something must've happened. " _Sakura, she's gone. And she took Byakko with her_."

" _What!?_ " Sakura asked in a heated whisper. " _Why would she do that?_ "

" _It's complicated,_ " the clone said. " _Just keep an eye out for anyone looking closely at me while I'm like this. I think something bad might be happening._ "

" _What sort of thing?_ "

The transformed clone shrugged. " _I'm not really sure, but—_ "

"What are you two talking about?" Ayame asked with her head tilted inquisitively at the sight of the girls huddled together.

"Nothing," the clone said. The raised eyebrow Ayame had pretty much gave away the fact that she didn't buy it for a second. But all three of them turned their attention to the rather loud chirping noise that came from arena and witnessed Sasuke standing on the wall as lightning crackled in his hand.

 **[0-0-0]**

 _Of course Kakashi taught him that technique_ , Sarutobi mused silently from his seat as he witnessed the lightning growing denser. He acknowledged that it was a technique meant for enemies using similar defensive encampments, but it was also used for assassinations. Should he hit, it would likely be a fatal strike.

The Hokage frowned beneath his veil. While death was a very real prospect during these matches, it wouldn't be ideal for the Kazekage's youngest to be killed in front of him and a crowd. He was about signal his bodyguard to have the proctor intervene when he heard the Kazekage speak.

"Outstanding," came from the Kazekage, eyes fixed on the Uchiha with an abnormal interest rather than his own son. Those eyes reminded Sarutobi of his wayward student for just a moment, making his aged heart palpate. That moment was just long enough for the young Uchiha to rocket forward and making it so having the proctor interfere would be too obvious.

Using his birthright he wove in and out of the counter-assault as spikes of hardened sand erupted from the shell. A combination of his momentum and the technique allowed for his hand to penetrate the defense with relative ease. The thought that it had been fatal after all crept into the Hokage's mind in the silence that followed.

Then the screaming started.

It was a bestial sound, reverberating through the arena and sending a chill down the spines of many veteran shinobi. It was all-too familiar to those that had fought the Nine-Tails when it had been released years ago and survived. The roar of a Tailed Beast filled with fury and rage, ready to destroy everything around it.

Sarutobi cursed himself for not being suspicious of the Kazekage's claims. Jinchuuriki were more often than not linked to the head of the village. Given the boy's track-record and affinity for sand, it made sense that he would be the one to house the One-Tail. And while that in itself wasn't a crime, deception was their nature after all, the fact that none of his intelligence sources had figured it out spoke of oversight that was almost inexcusable—if not for the fact that they were looking for Orochimaru.

The Uchiha fought to free his arm, a look of primal fear on his face. When whatever that had a hold of him wouldn't budge, he reignited the Chidori and a second, more human scream followed as the arm came free. He hopped back as a long, sinuous appendage chased after him for a moment, only to fall limp onto the ground and suddenly retract into the cocoon.

It was then that the feathers began to fall over the arena, a high-level Genjutsu technique capable of encompassing the entirety of the audience. There was no excuse for that. Sarutobi exchanged a final glance with the Kazekage and caught the remorseless and unsurprised gleam within it.

Everything clicked at that moment. The Hidden Sound would stand no chance against the Hidden Leaf alone. But if they were sabotaged from within, with a mad Jinchuuriki to contend with as well, then even they would fall. His guard reached for his poisoned blade only for four kunai to find their way into his chest as smoke billowed from the Kazekage, filling up the booth.

 **[0-0-0]**

Karin looked back from atop Byakko as the white tiger came to a stop on her command. She felt the pulse of chakra as the giant snake summonings emerged, her Mind's Eye having grown yet again. The walls that had stood for at least a decade unbroken came crumbling down when the massive serpents threw their weight against it, clearing the way for the Sound forces that were hidden outside to enter while they sowed chaos, intent to crushing the Hidden Leaf on Orochimaru's command.

There was no going back now. The invasion had begun….


	16. Chapter 16

**Another Chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

The moment the ethereal feathers started falling, Naruto leapt into action. He didn't shout, he didn't announce what he was doing. He just flung several concussive-tagged kunai towards the pair of Sand siblings, with the intent of knocking them out before they could contribute to whatever was happening and getting some answers.

In a swift, single motion, Temari spun and unfurled her fan just enough so that it was a repeat of her match with Tenten. The blades of wind hidden within the gale sliced through the tags as the kunai were thrown askew before they could touch them. A surge of insects followed from behind Naruto as he formed clones courtesy of Shino, and both rushed forward in a black cloud with orange masses within it.

She immediately unfurled her fan entirely and waved it with a hard spin, wind chakra riding along the gale so densely that everything cauught within it was shredded. Naruto, Shino, and Shikamaru ducked inside of the corridor to avoid being caught within the attack, providing an opening for the Sand duo. Temari conjured a whirlwind over the exit to block it while she and her brother leapt down and retrieve their younger brother.

"Okay, what's going on?" Shikamaru asked as he watched the twister churn in front of their only exit. The near-death experience had gotten rid of all the lethargy that had permeated him.

"We are not safe here." Shino raised his hands and more insects slipped out from his coat to form a dense cloud that he sent down through the corridor. A roar of air came from the turn leading down the stairs as the insects that had gone through the narrow passage were killed, signaling they were under attack from that angle too. "Naruto, raise a barrier."

Naruto pulled out the barrier tags and used them to form a wall between the three Chuunin-hopefuls and a Hidden Sound Jounin that emerged from the staircase, having the same arm implants that Shino's opponent from the preliminaries had. The difference between Zaku and Jounin was made clear when he raised a single hand and let loose a gust of air pressure, capable of pulverizing them had Naruto not shielded them with the barrier tags. Even still, he continuously fed it chakra to avoid them being blown away.

By the time the attack had finished, Naruto was panting as he held up the primary tag. The walls of the corridor between them and the Jounin were gouged badly, stone dust floating in the air with a fissure reaching to the floors above and below in front of the barrier. Any stronger and it likely would have completely blown their section of the floor out.

The Jounin prepared to fire again, this time with both hands, when suddenly they clapped together. They remained frozen like that, along with the rest of his body. Only his eyes moved, and they looked down to where the shadow stretched across the fissure between them and connected.

"Yeah, no more of that." Shikamaru said as his shadow locked his opponent's down, holding the prayer pose. "Shino?"

More insects emerged as Naruto dropped the barrier and they flew towards the Jounin. They chewed through his chakra and clogged his air tubes, nibbling at his eyes and face without mercy. They slipped into his mouth when he opened it to scream and went down his throat to clog it as well, denying the man the ability to breathe.

Not a minute later, the Jounin was dead from either chakra exhaustion, suffocation, or a combination of the two. Most of the insects returned to the living hive. The others scouted ahead.

"We have to move," Naruto said as he retrieved the tags. The whirlwind behind them finally died. "More could be on the way and we can't let those two get away."

Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head as he rose to his feet. "I still only have a moderate idea of what's going on here. Either of you care to give me some insight into what we're dealing with?"

"In a moment," Shino said as a scouting insect landed on his the tip of his finger. It relayed its information to him. "Kurenai-sensei is on her way with Kiba and Akamaru. I imagine that she will want an explanation as well."

True to word, Kiba, Akamaru, and the Jounin Leader of Team 8 arrived to see the boys and the corpse of the Sound Jounin. There was blood on her outfit and a kunai in her hands, a far cry from when she had been lecturing Kiba in private over his performance during the match. Being escorted off was the least of their problems at the moment.

Kiba stepped around the corpse and whistled. "Damn, Shino. Sometimes you scare me."

Shino shrugged and then turned to his Jounin, who asked what happened. "We had reason to believe that the Hidden Sand betrayed their alliance with us and is working with hostile forces to undermine the village. We tried to detain their Genin, but failed. It's also very likely that Sasuke Uchiha is a primary target for being kidnapped due to his bloodline, if I am correct."

"We just saw him leave over the wall not too long ago through the window," Kiba said. "I think he was chasing after them already."

"Track them down," she ordered. "The Jounin are handling the shinobi in the arena, but with the chaos those three have slipped out and the Uchiha boy gave chase. Catch up to them and detain if possible, but otherwise focus on keeping him safe. Understood?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Kiba and Shino said. Naruto and Shikamaru, who weren't members of her team, nodded as well. They still had to defer to her given the circumstances.

Shikamaru was notably less enthused about it once she departed through the exit, sighing. "What a drag…. How are we going to even find them?"

"Akamaru and me have Sasuke's scent memorized," Kiba said. His companion barked on top of his head, confirming the same. "Might be hard with so many others around, but we can track him."

"I have a few of my hive on the ones from Sand, leaking a pheromone that I can track." Shino turned to Naruto. "You can provide transportation, can you not?"

"Exactly how much did you listen in on?" Naruto asked cautiously. He didn't ask how he had heard him. It would have been a stupid question.

"Enough," he answered, pushing up his shades by the bridge as a few of his insects crawled from the inside of his collar. "Let us hurry."

 **[0-0-0]**

The moment the genjustu began to fall over the arena, Sakura immediately went to work dispelling it off of her with Naruto's clone following suit. The clone rose up and eyed one ANBU in particular, the likely source, and then dropped the transformation to lunge at him. The clone was immediately dispelled with a hit, but it did cancel out the rest of the feathers falling down.

That pretty much confirmed who the one responsible for it was, and Ino's Sensei leapt up and cut him in half somehow. Despite that, other foreign shinobi suddenly emerged to attack anyone still awake. And there were loud crashing sounds coming from outside of the arena.

 _Naruto didn't say anything about a full-scale attack_ , Sakura thought to herself as she looked at all the fighting taking place around her. There were a lot of shinobi that she didn't recognize, but a few that she did. On instinct she went for her weapons, only to remember that she hadn't brought any, when she felt time slow as two shadows were hovered over her. Two Sound Jounins were flanking her, weapons in their hands as they moved to kill her.

Then time sped up again as she turtle'd herself up in reflex. The two of them fell at her feet, kunai wedged in their brains, and a third shadow lingered above her. It was Kakashi. "Sensei?"

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She nodded bitterly, ashamed at the fact that she was helpless again. "I couldn't do anything. Even after I said I would be better…."

"They were Jounin, that's expected." His attention spanned the arena and he made hand-seals. "Sakura, I need for you to go find Sasuke. He went chasing after his opponent and Kurenai told me that he might be a target."

He slammed his hands down and summoned the ninja-pug, Pakkun. "She's already sent Naruto and a few others to get him. They left on a bird of some kind. Pakkun will help you track them."

"R-Right…." Sakura reached down to the corpse of one of the Sound Jounin and grabbed his pouch of supplies and weapons. When she looked up, Kakashi had gone back to fighting and left the two of them to their own devices. No more safety nets.

"C'mon girlie," Pakkun said. "Let's go."

 **[0-0-0]**

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood opposite his wayward student, trapped within a cage of violet flames anchored by four of his followers. The false mask of flesh that was once the Kazekage's had been discarded now. It was clear Orochimaru wanted him to see for himself the one who would do harm to the village.

"Did you coerce our allies into turning against us while wearing his face?" he asked as the air between them thickened, loose bits of tile rising from the sheer weight of their chakra opposing one another.

A smile stretched across Orochimaru's face. "On the contrary, the Kazekage actually agreed to the invasion of his own accord. I simply replaced him along the way here to… savor the moment, really. Tell me, Sensei… is your intelligence so incompetent that they were ignorant of the declining state of the Hidden Sand village?"

He had been aware of their Daimyo's fluctuating decisions to outsource missions. While they didn't have any spies in their shinobi forces, more than one had complained in a drunken stupor at the local pub. All they had to do was have eyes and ears there, as well as within the ranks of their paper-pushers. But he didn't think things were bad to the extent they would be willing to start a war.

"Take note, Sensei." He stretched his hands wide, gesturing to fighting going on around them and the rampaging snakes in the village. "The death, the destruction, all of this came out of one man's decision to cheapen his expenses and spurn a village. That single decision caused one of the mightiest villages in the five greatest nations to wither on the vine until they were desperate."

"Even so, I imagine that this was your suggestion to start with." He molded his chakra within his body, readying it and dividing it. The question of whether or not to unveil Jiraiya briefly came to mind, but he decided against it. Not just yet.

"Well, I may have brought it up," Orochimaru admitted. "But it goes without saying that the fact that they would ally with the relatively new village I've established meant that they were reaching the point where it would have happened anyway. I just hastened the process, becoming the wind that turns the pinwheel, as it were."

"And risked throwing the world into another Great War," Sarutobi noted. "I would have thought that you of all people, having lived through so much conflict, would understand the necessity of peace."

The smile on Orochimaru's face faltered, turning into a frown. "Peace? Mankind is incapable of such a thing, merely a moment of stagnation brought about by writing on pieces of paper. They are prone to conflict and that makes the world progress. The conflict sown here as the Leaf crumbles will herald a grand revolution in all things."

"You speak the same words as the last time." It never changed. Orochimaru continued to search for answers, to make progress, to gather techniques, using conflict and strife as experimenting tools and battlefields as his laboratories. It was saddening. "I see you are truly beyond saving."

Sarutobi acted. The opening salvo consisted of sending his chakra into the tiles surrounding him and levitating them. He took the wind chakra molded into his lungs and exhaled a layer upon them to give them a cutting edge, followed by a coat of yin chakra to hide them from view, and then sent them flying forward as makeshift shuriken. The wind-layered Tile Shuriken flew forward like invisible saws and tore gouges out of the rest of the tiles in their wake.

Orochimaru countered with a Wind Style: Great Breakthrough, expelling a gust that took hold of the lesser technique and scattered the makeshift shuriken about. Sarutobi overtook the C-ranked technique using Fire Style: Fire Dragon's Flame Bullet. The moment the stream of fire hit the gust of wind, the flames hungrily consumed the wind and quickly turned into a conflagration that seemingly engulfed half the rooftop and his former student, reducing Orochimaru to ashes.

The Hokage exhaled, his chest rising and falling notably. The surface of the rooftop ripped as Orochimaru sprang up from behind him with the Hiding in Surface technique and then lashed out at him with his tongue, which transformed into a large venomous snake. It sank its fangs into Sarutobi's throat and then writhed, trying to tear it out as he grasped it desperately with both his aged hands.

Then he melted into mud, which hardened into stone. With the serpent that was once his student's tongue trapped within it, Sarutobi appeared behind his student with his hand flattened to make a chopping motion, wind chakra cloaking it. The sharpened knife-hand cleaved Orochimaru's head from his shoulders in a single motion.

The stump of his neck burst as a thick, brown serpent lashed out from what should have been a corpse and drove the older man back with the threat of its fangs. It lunged again, opening its maw as wide as possible as a bulge surged through the serpent's length. Orochimaru came out of its throat whole, with the legendary grass-cutter blade in his hand.

He pierced his old mentor's heart with it, only for it to turn into mud again as the real Sarutobi came into view from a genjutsu-created veil of yin chakra, finishing one set of hand-seals and thrusting his hands forward. The mud swelled into an earthen dragon that roared before devouring Orochimaru in a surge of onrushing mire, like a mud slide come to life. It rose up in a spout and then hardened to form a stone pillar.

Sarutobi appeared in front of it with a Body Flicker as he finished another set of hand-seals and slammed his palms into it, sending fire chakra surging within to turn its core molten. The pillar-turned-molten mud collapsed in on itself as he backed away, leaving only a heated slag pile in its wake to cool. The crackling of superheated earth permeated the silence as the audience of Anbu Officers and the Sound Four watched in a sort of quiet amazement at the swift and skillful exchange.

" _Kukukukukuku,_ " Orochimaru chuckled from some distance behind the old man, breaking the silence. "Excellent, Sarutobi-sensei… Few would have been able to weather the fluidity of your techniques. Yin chakra to hide a Shadow Clone made of earth and yang chakra, water combining with it to shape the mud and control its flow, more earth to harden it, and then fire to heat it to the point of being near molten. Such impeccable mastery of control and timing, I expect nothing less from the one who was once called the Professor of Ninjutsu."

"And you remain as elusive as ever." When he slipped out of the combination of techniques eluded Sarutobi, but he knew it wouldn't have been that easy. "But that won't remain the case. You'll slip up and then that'll be the end."

"Brave words for an old man…" Orochimaru clasped his hands together, causing a pair of coffins to rise from a breach in space. They were identical, marked by kanji for the First and Second, and seeing them left a feeling of dread nestled itself in the pit of his stomach. "Let's see how long they last in the face of your predecessors."

Sarutobi was no fool. As much as he would rather deal with Orochimaru alone, he had no delusion of standing a chance against the First and Second Hokages. He flared his chakra into his shadow and it thickened, allowing for the red and white blur to be shot towards the two coffins that stood in front of Orochimaru.

Spiraling spheres in both hands, Jiraiya mercilessly slammed them into the coffins and the bodies within before continuing towards a surprised Orochimaru. Arrogant and surprised as he was at the sudden emergence of the Toad Sage, he managed to evade the blow that shattered the rooftop where he once stood. At the same time, Sarutobi breathed out a stream of fire hot enough to incinerate the bodies within before they could be put to use.

"Well, well, this is a surprise." Orochimaru locked eyes with his old teammate. "To think that you would show up now of all times, Jiraiya. I had no idea you were here. It must've been the lack of perversion that usually followed in your wake. Should I expect the princess as well?"

Jiraiya had no words. He'd made his peace with what needed to be done.

"Ah, the silent treatment." Orochimaru chuckled mildly. "I suppose this is fine as well. Dealing with you was always the plan. This simply speeds the process up."

Sarutobi discarded his Hokage robes to reveal the combat outfit beneath it. "Jiraiya, the village has been breached by summonings."

"On it." He unraveled a scroll and pressed his hand on a symbol in the center, pouring his chakra into it. The net result was that the delayed summoning seals that had been placed around the village last night were tripped, calling forth warriors from Mount Myouboku to deal with the serpents that had been summoned as well. Jiraiya then readied a kunai as Orochimaru held his sword forward.

A particularly loud explosion in the distance signaled the continuation of their battle to the death….


	17. Chapter 17

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Their home was being destroyed.

That much was clear as the vermillion bird sailed over Konoha with the four Genin on its back. Naruto looked down at the destruction with a somber expression, wondering just what part Karin played in this. She _knew_ it would happen and said nothing. Despite the Hokage's offer to make it her home, she let it happen out of fear of whoever it was that had been pulling her strings.

A snarl drew Naruto's attention to Kiba, who had a practically feral expression on his face as he looked down at the destruction. Debris was scattered, smoke rising from destroyed buildings, and some bodies could be made out below as snakes in the distance continued their thrashing. He slammed his fist down in frustration. "Damn it!"

Suzaku let loose a short, indignant cry at that.

"Take it easy," Naruto warned. "Suzaku is already struggling with this many people as is."

He pointed below. "How can I take it easy when they're wrecking our home?"

"On the contrary, the circumstances are not as unfavorable as they could be," Shino pointed out.

"How does this look 'not as unfavorable as they could be' to you?" Kiba demanded.

Shikamaru poked his head over the side. "There are too few bodies for an attack of this scale, especially considering they had the drop on us."

"Had this been a true ambush, we would see more corpses beyond a few unlucky scatterings. If I had to hazard a guess, most of the civilians are in the process of being relocated to shelters as we speak." Shino adjusted his shades and stared straight at Naruto as he continued. "Keep your mind on the mission at hand, and worry about everything else once the dust is settled."

Naruto got the underlying message clear enough. Everything related to Karin had to be pushed to the backburner. At least until they got Sasuke, and did whatever else they were supposed to do. Everything else was secondary to that at the moment.

He nodded. "Are we on the right track?"

Shino held up a finger as a bug landed on it and he held it close to his ear. "Yes. The trio from the Hidden Sand has escaped over the village wall in the direction we're going."

"Sasuke's following them from his scent too," Kiba added. His hands roamed for his pockets but found nothing. "Hey, does anyone have a Soldier's Pill I can use for Akamaru if it comes down to a fight? I didn't bring my gear with me to the Finals."

"I'm hoping it doesn't come to that, but here." Shikamaru pulled out the one he had and slipped it into his palm.

"…If we get into a fight, leave Gaara of the Desert to me." Naruto said, after a moment of thought. If it came down to it, he would be the best suited against Gaara, as a fellow jinchuuriki. Or so he hoped.

A hissing noise sent a chill down their spines from how close it was, and the group looked down to see they were being chased by a rather large snake. Naruto pegged it to be around the same size and color scheme as the one that had eaten him in the Forest of Death. He briefly wondered if they were related before it flung itself towards them. "Suzaku, up!"

The vermillion bird flapped its wings harder to try and lift them, but the additional weight slowed them too much. The serpent's maw opened wide and revealed the fleshy mouth within. Dripping with saliva that led down into a deep dark pit, the cavernous maw grew larger as it neared.

And then it was abruptly thrown to the side. The serpent was nailed to the ground by a two-pronged sasumata, just below its head. The giant, magenta-colored toad holding it then took what looked like a sake-saucer and brought it down, taking off its head in a single stroke.

"What the Hell?" Kiba said incredulously as Shikamaru sighed in relief. The group watched the toad hop off to deal with another snake, more plumes of smoke in the distance giving birth to other toads. Some were bigger and some were smaller. "Where did they come from?"

It was a good question. Naruto bit his thumb and used the summoning technique to find out, slamming his right hand down on top of his left. Sealing script crawled over the back and a small puff of smoke gave way to reveal an orange toad with purple markings, wearing a blue jacket. It looked around for a moment and then turned back to Naruto. "Did you have to summon me so high up?"

Kiba stared at the small, talking toad in confusion for a moment. Then he pointed to the others. "Was that you?"

"I wish," Naruto said offhandedly, keeping his attention on the small toad in front of him. "Sorry about this Gamakichi, but I wanted to ask if you knew why the toads were appearing in the village."

"Dad was talking to the guy with the big white hair yesterday." He gestured with his hands on how long the man's hair was. "I'm guessing that they might have been planning to help out or something, since you've got a snake problem and all, but I was with my brother."

"If that the case, then chances are that this was expected," Shino said. "I suspect that the counterattack will begin soon enough."

"Maybe," Naruto murmured as they passed over the village wall. He spotted a fleeting shadow in the trees below. "I think I see him!"

Kiba stuck his head over the side and sniffed the air. "Yeah, it's him!"

"SASUKE!" Naruto called, but there was no change in direction or notice. Sasuke continued to chase something further ahead of him relentlessly below the canopy of the trees that thickened the further they went from the village.

Shikamaru shook his head. "He can't hear us. We're too high up and too far back, with the wind against us."

"Well, unless one of you gets off, Suzaku can't go any—" Naruto's voice was replaced by Sukazu letting loose a sharp, piercing cry as an explosion rocked its underside, with enough force that it lost the ability to fly. Spiraling below, its passengers were only safe from being thrown about by anchoring themselves with their charka as it desperately tried to regain altitude.

Naruto, holding a screaming Gamakichi tightly so he didn't go flying, looked towards the source of the explosion. There he found several Sound shinobi, standing upon the village wall. They were all staring at him, and suddenly Naruto recalled that he had been a priority target as well.

It looked like they were going to have a complication when it came to bringing back Sasuke after all….

 **[0-0-0]**

Karin's heart froze as she felt Naruto's chakra descend from the sky with the others alongside of him, nine signatures moving in. She was so naïve to think that they wouldn't have a backup plan to grab both him and the Uchiha. They were both outnumbered, and far enough away from the village under siege that no one would come to save them.

They felt like they were Chuunin at the very least in terms of chakra reserves. Nine of them against a couple of Genin, on top of the jinchuuriki that the Uchiha was chasing after, made for very bad odds. They would kill the others and take the two Orochimaru desired.

They would take Naruto.

She trembled on top of Byakko at the thought. But this was her only chance. If she didn't run now, she wouldn't be able to get away. Would she be able to run away knowing that the boy she fell in love with was taken, while she was the only one in a position to help him?

…No, no she wouldn't. "Damn it, Byakko we need to go in the other direction!"

" _As you wish_." The white tiger turned sharply on its front legs and then darted through the rows of trees, towards the direction she felt Naruto had fallen in.

It was so stupid, going against every rational thought she had. There was nothing but trouble awaiting her that way, and she knew it. Traitor to Orochimaru or conspirator against the Hidden Leaf, she would end up in a worse position than if she had just ran away. But the feeling in her chest would swallow her if she didn't act.

Karin wasn't sure what she could do against those nine, even with the excess tags and Byakko. At the very least, she would be able to pluck him out of danger. She could only hope that it would be enough, and that they made it to him in time.

 **[0-0-0]**

Red clothes crossed the tiles in a blur, white hair billowing as the Toad Sage rushed forward with a kunai in hand. The sharpened edge scraped against the steel of the grass-cutter, sparks scattering from where they crossed with a metallic ring. Clad in black, the Hokage swung a thick staff of adamantine through the air to crush the opposition. Tiles shattered as the body that seemed to be made of rubber slithered away with deceptive ease, only to spring forward slash with the blade again.

The slicing of air, the blur of movement, the ringing of crashing steel, the smashing of tile—these sounds blended in a whirlwind of violence, a representation of the elegant tragedy that was a battle of shinobi that had weathered many years of combat. It was a beautiful and breathtaking display of prowess from an age where one would be cut down before they could make a hand-seal, and a time when skill trumped technique on the battlefield.

The toad would hop away, taking great and rapid bounds to strike from another angle as the monkey flung what was in hand, a rain of sharp implements with a slight curve in the throwing angles, so they couldn't be blocked as easily. When the serpent slithered away from the rain of steel, the monkey advanced. He crossed with agile steps and swung down the primitive tool, the oldest weapon in the world, to crush everything in its path.

The serpent would coil and then lash out with the fang that was his sword, using stabbing strikes meant to pierce the flesh, each moving for a fatal spot. The staff blurred as it intercepted with loud clanks, only for the toad to come down from the above in an attempt cut off the serpent's head. It would miss as the snake slinked backwards.

They split apart, with two on one end and the last on the other. Heavy pants left the older man's mouth, sharper and deeper than the two others. His age was catching up to him.

"I'm impressed that weathered and aged body of yours could keep up this long." Orochimaru's jian wavered, slacking downwards as he caught his breath. It was a false opening with his supple body and flexibility, so neither tried to capitalize on it. "Had you still been in your prime, I would consider this a legitimate challenge, Sarutobi-sensei."

"Let's not pretend any of us are in our prime anymore," he countered. "Time flows equally for all, a law of nature one cannot overcome."

"I wouldn't say that." He reached up and pulled, literally tearing his face off to reveal a younger looking woman's visage beneath his own. "I've already transcended that law of nature."

Horror crossed the Hokage and Toad Sage's faces, though it was the former who spoke. "What have you done?"

"Merely a simple technique to transfer my soul into another vessel, allowing me to attain immortality," he said as he replaced the flesh mask. "Though, I would rather have Tsunade-hime's healing ability, this application has its own rewards in attaining all of the techniques that the world can birth. And, once I attain my next body, I'll be another step closer."

"The Uchiha boy," Sarutobi realized. "That's why you timed your attack until his match, and marked him with your seal. You intend to take his body and his Sharingan."

"Better than allowing it to die with this village. With only two sets left in the world, such a useful tool should be preserved. I will make full use of that, and ensure that it continues to weather the ages."

There was no way he could allow Itachi's younger brother to be taken. He had to end this, and there was one technique he could rely on to ensure the kill. The question was whether or not his aged body could bear the strain of it. He was not certain, but at the very least he would ensure that his mad student met his end. "Let us dance once more, my old friend."

The Monkey King's head emerged from the staff. "I'll handle the retreat, so make sure you get the timing right, Sarutobi."

He nodded as the head disappeared, and twirled the staff. It compressed itself further into the width and length of a normal staff, all the weight and density concentrating into a narrower weapon increased its destructive capability against a single target. The tradeoff in dexterity would be compensated for by threading his muscles with chakra, a practice that he had refined over the course of decades.

Yin and yang—he divided most of his chakra into these two elements within his body, each partitioned to be released in bursts. He molded the rest into fire chakra as well, a final plan to ensure the kill. Then he held the staff forward and lowered his stance, his muscles tensed for the explosion of movement that was to come. "Jiraiya, prepare the oil."

Orochimaru chuckled. "Kukukuku, planning on making a fin—"

Sarutobi was in front of him before he could finish the sentence. It was a perfect Body Flicker that left no trace behind of movement, closing the distance in less than the time it took to blink. He swung the staff in a straight cross to knock his head off.

It was too easy to avoid, even if too fast for any ninjutsu technique that required a hand-seal. Orochimaru leaned forward on reflex, lowering his head while spearing the point of the jian forward to impale the old man. The blade passed through the body that faded from existence, and the real body appeared behind him. Surprise flashed on Orochimaru's pale face at the abruptness.

Sarutobi used the staff like a spear, with his front hand as a guide and his rear hand sending it forward to pierce the heart of his foe. Intent to kill was behind the strike, every sense screaming that it would be a fatal blow. A lesser man would be frozen in fear, and have his heart torn from his chest in the wake of such murderous intent.

But not Orochimaru. He twisted his body, avoiding the stabbing motion to bring his own blade around. It met the neck of the aged shinobi and passed clean through. Instead of a spray of blood, the head and body faded from existence with no resistance—a second clone taking the place of the real one, whose presence Orochimaru felt behind him.

Time slowed for the two as Orochimaru turned his head. Still in the midst of his previous dodge and strike, he was vulnerable. The expression that froze on his face made that much clear as he met the merciless eyes of his former mentor.

It was a simple technique at its core, born of two of the basics techniques that would become the Academy Three. Using chakra to hyper-vitalize the body and strengthen the muscles, one would cross the distance between oneself and their opponent in a flash of a second. Yang chakra was better suited for his old body, giving it the spring he had in his youth, so the speed didn't tear him apart.

However, any trained opponent would react to the straightforward attack by countering, cutting down the easy-to-read strike. That was when the standard Clone technique came into play. Layering oneself in yin chakra before another explosion of yang to Body Flicker again, it would create an afterimage of the first attack while moving behind them for the second strike. The key was the timing and synchronizing of both techniques.

Striking from behind, the enemy would be felled unless they were of the highest caliber, possessed instinct akin to a sixth sense, or a Bloodline Limit capable of avoiding it. Orochimaru was certainly the former. So he twisted his body to avoid, seeking to land a killing stroke with as much strength as he could, thus killing the elderly Hokage.

It would cut through a second Clone, another layer of yin chakra in his image projected at the moment the killing intent was palpable in the midst of the strike. Completely devoted to ensuring one's survival by avoiding death, and seeking to capitalize on the seemingly fatal blow, they would unleash one of their own. It created a true opening for a split-second as the real attack came from the resulting blind-spot.

That split-second was long enough for a veteran shinobi to capitalize on. With a body strengthened to its peak, the agility of a monkey, and a staff as hard as diamond, the killing stroke was made as he swung with everything he had through his enemy's abdomen to tear them in two—such was the **Monkey King's Dance**.

The blow went through, and Orochimaru was torn in half from the sheer force behind the swing. But he wasn't dead. He'd modified his body too much to die so easily. Without warning, snakes emerged from both the bottom and top halves, baring their poisoned fangs towards the aged veteran.

Sarutobi angled the staff downwards and held his breath, focusing on gathering fire chakra into his lungs. Enma kept to his word on handling the retreat, extending on his own accord. The end Sarutobi had braced was sent backwards diagonally to where Jiraiya was, having finished kneading his chakra into oil.

Sarutobi landed and then spat the converted fire chakra in his lungs into the stream of oil that flowed from Jiraiya's lips, right as Orochimaru pulled himself together. Oil and flames mixed into a burning wave of liquid fire. It surged forward and crashed into the violet flames that composed the barrier, engulfing the Snake Sannin in the process. The flames flared bright white and blinded everyone who laid sight upon it.

Then there was silence.


	18. Chapter 18

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

"Keep up," Pakkun said as he sprinted forward through the ruined streets of the Hidden Leaf, just ahead of Sakura. They were ants amidst the chaos unfolding, fleeing as the giant toads and snakes waged war, and buildings came toppling down.

Sakura ignored the destruction of the familiar streets that were lined with rubble and flames as best she could to keep up with the pug. It left her unnerved to see so many places that she had once gazed upon in passing in shambles. Then an unconscious moan of pain reached her ears and drew her eyes to an older woman pinned under the rubble nearby. Sakura recognized her as the tailor of the clothing shop her mother brought her to for fittings and ran towards her to help.

"Leave her!" Pakkun ordered as he turned around. "Remember your orders."

Sakura looked to the woman and noticed crimson slowly pooling beneath the rubble. Had her legs been crushed? "But—"

"As we speak, I caught ten scents heading in the same direction as your teammate and peers. Every second we waste here is one that could spell disaster for them… Besides, there's nothing you can do anyway. I can smell she's lost too much blood and won't make it another minute. You can't treat that with the First Aid lessons they teach in the Academy."

Sakura's heart fell into her stomach as she recognized the truth in his words, staring at the older woman as her breathing grew shallower. "It feels wrong."

"I know, but that's war." He turned back towards the wall. "Now come on."

She turned away from the dying woman and ran towards the wall that had been breached, Pakkun leading her through it once more. She couldn't do anything for the tailor, but she could for her teammates at the very least. That had to be enough for now.

 **[0-0-0]**

The nine Sound shinobi moved through the woodlands and trees towards where the giant bird had fallen. They had their orders and would carry them out, lest they ended up earning the wrath of Orochimaru or be left to the non-existent mercy of his right-hand man. How hard could it be to capture two boys?

"Have they moved?" Han asked their tracker. His ears had their sensitivity increased to hear the heartbeats and footsteps of others, making tracking them child's play.

"Insects are buzzing everywhere, but I can make out all their hearts ahead. One of them is yammering about how they won't leave the mutt behind. It must've been injured in the fall."

Saris scoffed at the stupidity. "They're kids alright. They should've been running. Not that it would have helped them."

"Let's do this," Nawin said. The outline of an amused smirk formed on his mask. "Kill all of them besides the blonde and slap him with the seal. The Uchiha comes afterwards."

The kids came into view, their weapons drawn as the huddled together in a circle while the one with a pineapple-haircut for a head tried to convince the boy with markings on his cheeks to leave behind the mutt, which had a bone sticking out of it. Han came to a stop and then gestured for them to move in for the kill. He would remain behind to spot any traps they could pull, though he was skeptical they would be able to.

They wasted no time, using a Body Flicker to close the gap in distance before they could react. There was no need for hostages, so it they didn't hesitate to plunge their kunai into the heads of the children. Such was the nature of war….

Then the air trembled as an abrupt chain of explosions were set off from what were once the children.

Han felt something wet and sticky touch his cheek and reached for it. It was a bit of flesh and blood from either Nawin or Saris. They were the only two who were too slow in their haste to kill to escape from the explosions. The others managed to back away in time to avoid being caught in what was evidently a trap—an oversight on their part.

"Fall back!" he ordered. Only Karo and Asch fell back into a position next to him, while the other four remained where they were. "What are you doing!?"

"Can't m-move!" Nemizu said as he stood there shaking.

Han noticed that all of their shadows were connected to a thin tendril that slinked across the ground, through the crater formed by the explosions, and into underbrush that wasn't too far from the site. Two identical figures darted out from the sides of it, skidding to a stop and facing the entrapped Sound team. They were both the feral-looking boy, identical expressions as they crouched on all-fours, while a cloud of insects burst out of the underbrush towards Hans' detachment.

In perfect synchronization, the two turned into spiraling drills that launched themselves towards the shadow-bound group, while the horde of insects descended upon the remaining three. The twin-twisters cut through the line from the right and left, a spiraling whirlwind of destruction clawing, gouging, and ripping the four men apart. The churning air surrounding them scattered the viscera and grounded innards, splashing the grass and trees crimson. Hans narrowly escaped as he saturated his body with an outline of Earth chakra and used the Underground Projection Fish technique to swim beneath the surface, leaving Karo and Asch screaming as the insects engulfed them utterly as well.

Swimming underground, Hans would admit they'd blundered rushing in while thinking they were just children. He emerged some distance from the remains of his teammates only to hear the buzzing of insects intensifying, and the footfalls of the feral pair. Now they were tracking him, but he knew how to deal with that.

Making the Tiger seal, he used the Hiding with Camouflage Technique. It obscured him from sight and smell, and as a Sound shinobi he knew quite well how to hide his own footsteps. They wouldn't catch him as he wormed his way around to grab the blonde brat.

Then all he had to do was apply the seal he had been given to suppress his chakra, knock him out, and use the Underground Projection Fish technique on them both before escaping. He couldn't get the Uchiha as well, not with the rest of them dead, but that an acceptable loss considering the circumstances. Hiding his breath as he landed behind the boy unaware, Hans reached out….

And then he only knew pain as something slammed into him and left him on the ground in agony.

 **[0-0-0]**

Naruto frowned as the tables had been turned somewhat with Kiba and Shino losing track of the survivor. It had been a hasty plan that Shikamaru came up with after they crash landed, after Naruto let Gamakichi return to his home and told the others he had spotted nine enemies likely to be after them. He figured they couldn't reasonably hope to escape with Suzaku's body destroyed by the impact. It could recover with enough time and Yang chakra to reconstitute itself within the surprisingly durable mask, but that meant they were on their own in dealing with the enemy.

They only had limited information to work with, but based on the assumption that one of them would be a sound-based tracker they allowed themselves to be covered by a mass of buzzing insects from Shino, to hide their heartbeats behind the curtain of sound. Naruto's transformed and tagged clones were left in the front of be used as bait and to take the fall, banking on the fact that they wouldn't expect them to have set a trap rather than flee. Shikamaru would entrap them, and the Inuzuka pair would go in for the kill.

When three of them escaped, Shino sent his horde to follow through with catching the stragglers. Now there was one unaccounted for that neither of their trackers could find, and Naruto doubted he would simply run off after eight of his companions were killed. Not when whoever it was that gave him the order was the same person that drove Karin away from him in fear.

He couldn't help but wonder how far she had gotten when a white blur bounded from behind the nearest tree and passed over Naruto's shoulder. It slammed into the ground behind him hard enough to kick up a plume of earthen dust, which thinned quickly enough for Naruto to see Karin was atop Byakko. Its paws were pressing down on the last Sound shinobi that slowly faded back into existence and moaned in agony.

"Do it," Karin ordered. The tiger construct brought its paw down hard upon the man's head, messily ensuring the kill.

" _Karin_ ," Naruto said softly. His thoughts were muddled as he did so. "I… heard everything you said to the clone."

A look that crossed shame and horror flickered across her face. She made to flee again. "Let's go, Byakko!"

Byakko turned to jaunt away, readying to leave again. Naruto raised his hand to try and stop them when the pair uncomfortably froze in place like the shinobi before. A shadow was connecting them to Shikamaru, who looked like he was straining to hold them in place, with Shino next to him.

"Ugh—" She and Byakko struggled to break free and Shikamaru grunted as he struggled to keep them pinned. "—let go of us!"

Shino gave a slight shake of his head and turned to Naruto. "You and I both know the part she played in this. Personal feelings aside, she will need to be taken in. I'm sure the Hokage will take the facts into consideration."

Karin suddenly looked even more horrified and started shaking as she fought harder. "Release me now!"

"Karin, he's right." Naruto said sadly as Kiba approached them. "The Old Man—"

"Not that!" she yelled. "He's coming, I can feel—AHHHH!"

Cursed Seal Markings branded her skin from foot-to-head with the indecipherable scripting as she started screaming in agony. Unlike with Sasuke, it didn't seem to empower her or twist her personality. Instead, it caused her pain as they glowed brightly with every movement, and what looked to be dark tendrils of lightning emanated from the marks and wormed their way into her body.

"Drop it, Shikamaru!" Naruto ordered. "Now!"

"But—" Naruto gave him a _glare_. "Tch, whatever. On you if it goes wrong."

When he cut his shadow binding, Byakko lowered itself in time as Karin fell off and into Naruto's arm. Her face was twisted in torment, and her muscles were contracting beneath her skin to the extent that he feared they were going to pull themselves apart. Naruto's first reaction was to look for the Cursed Seal on her neck given what happened to Sasuke, but he didn't find it there.

" _R…Ru… Run_!" She fought through her pain and looked him in the eyes, desperation and fear in her own. " _Kab...uto is here_!"

No sooner than she muttered his name did a pair of pained grunt come from behind him. Naruto twisted his head around to find that Shikamaru and Shino were unconscious on the ground. Kabuto was standing behind them, hands aglow with a soft white light.

"You were in on it all along?" Naruto found it hard to believe, even as the more he thought about it the clearer it became. Kabuto was the one who had given them information on the cards, and followed them to the tower. Was that to make sure that they would make it to the Finals, so that they would be in a position to be grabbed?

"You could say that, I suppose." He took a step forward, away from the other two on the ground. "Originally, I was supposed to check on Sasuke-kun and act as a spare medic should it be necessary, so that he could progress to the Finals. You were an afterthought until Karin-chan asked if she could remain behind, and we figured that we might as well claim the Jinchuuriki rather that allow it to be lost with the village."

"What did you do to my teammate, you bastard!?" Kiba snarled at the sight of Shino's prone body. Kabuto smiled smugly in response, setting him off. He and Akamaru threw themselves toward Kabuto, spinning once more to tear him apart.

Kabuto slammed his hand into the ground and forced Earth chakra into it, raising wedges that came up to the meet the twin drills at angles. The Inuzuka pair plowed through the first few easily, but the effort slowed their rotations down. He followed up by spitting a stream of dense, almost solidified water that slammed into them like bludgeons. It was strong enough to cancel their technique and sending them spilling violently to the ground.

Akamaru's transformation was canceled as well, leaving the pup unconscious in the mud. Kiba nursed what looked to be a bruised rib from where he was hit as he forced himself back up and then went in for him again. Kabuto nonchalantly backhanded him hard enough to draw blood from his mouth and sent him crashing into a tree, from which he didn't get up again.

Kabuto walked past the pair and adjusted his glasses. The light glared off the lenses menacingly as a cruel smile replaced the smug one. "Karin-chan, I must say that I'm disappointed in you. To think you would try and betray Orochimaru-sama like this by hiding information and trying to get away. He will be most displeased to learn of this."

Karin actually _whimpered_ in fear, only stopped from running due to the seal subjugating her movements. Instead, she seemingly curled in tighter into Naruto, despite the pain that came from moving.

"It was so simple," he continued. "You only had to win his trust. It wouldn't have even been hard. The abandoned boy who longs for companionship, the long-lost family member that greets him—it should have been a cinch to administer the sleeping gas and bring him to us. Now you've forced me to act _personally_."

" _B…Byakko_ ," Karin forced out in a tiny, pained voice. " _K-Kill him_!"

Byakko lunged in response, and Kabuto moved. The moment Byakko touched the ground where he had been, it swallowed the white tiger in what looked to be quicksand that solidified. Byakko was stuck, its lower body straining to free itself but unable to without enough room to maneuver.

That left Naruto as the only one left to deal with the true traitor, a prospect that was looking unlikely. He set Karin down and then made the cross-seal to summon up clones when Kabuto closed the distance in a Body Flicker and then kicked him hard enough in the abdomen that Naruto went sailing backwards, until he slammed into the ground messily and vomited on his hands and knees.

" _N-Naruto_!" Karin fought against the seal and the agonizing pain to look up at Naruto as he stood back up. That ended when Kabuto placed the heel of his foot on Karin's head and pushed down, forcing it onto the ground. Then he rolled it so that Naruto could see the expression on her face.

"I'll make this easy for you, Naruto-kun." He pushed down with his foot, causing her to scream loudly as he threatened to crush her skull against the ground. "First, you're going to throw your weapons and pouch right towards my feet. Otherwise, I'll crush her head _just_ enough to where she's brain-dead, and then kill the rest of your peers."

Naruto paused at the thought of being weaponless until Kabuto pushed down harder. Tears of pain were streaming down from Karin's eyes, and the lenses of her glasses were cracking under the pressure. He threw his kunai pouch, shuriken holster, and rear pouch directly at the man's feet underhandedly. "I did what you asked, now let her go!"

"See, was that so hard?" Kabuto removed his foot from her head, causing her to seemingly squirm pitifully in relief. He took a step forward, pulling out a sealing slip of his own, and threw it towards Naruto, who caught it. "Now, apply this to your forehead. Once you do, both of your chakra sources will be sealed and we'll go."

"And you'll leave them all unharmed?"

"If I was going to kill them, I would have done so," Kabuto said. "None of them are even a threat to me. But the longer you hesitate…."  
Naruto looked grimly at the seal while the unfinished threat was left hanging in the air. He wouldn't be able to fight if he did, and he was sure a fate worse than death was awaiting him. But if the others died for him—

" _Don't…_ " Karin wheezed softly as she grabbed Kabuto's leg. The grip was weak, her arms shaking as the markings glowed from the movement and punished her with pain that she left bottled in her throat.

Kabuto shook his head at the attempt. "Really now, this is just pathetic, Karin—AGH!"

His mocking turned into a pained cry as she bit into the back of his leg, just above his combat sandals, and tried to rip it off like a vicious animal. On reflex, Kabuto turned and kicked her away _hard_ … revealing a primed explosive tag on the ground beneath her. She had fought against the immense pain to take it from Naruto's pouch after it landed in front of her, while the other two were in discussion.

The tag ruptured into an explosion. Naruto watched horrified as her scorched body flew out of the flames and hit the ground some distance away. She wasn't moving.

 **[0-0-0]**

Sasuke landed in a crouch on the tree branch above the last of the Sand-siblings. The other two had been defeated and rendered unconscious with trivial ease. Now he stared down at his final opponent as he lay on the ground half-covered in sand.

"Now, why don't we pick up where we left off?" he asked.

The rhetorical question was met with an inhuman wail from the partially-transformed jinchuuriki….


	19. Chapter 19

**Another Chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Sasuke ditched the branch he was on as hands woven from dense sand crashed into it and the tree, breaking it apart on impact with loud splintering noises. He twisted as he fell, throwing shuriken at the eyes of the creature that the red-haired boy turned into. It raised its stout arm and the shuriken failed to so much as scratch the armor-like sand composing the limb.

When it lowered the arm, Sasuke saw that the Sand-boy's head had been overlapped and changed. Exhaling and baring fangs, those monstrous eyes fixated on his. Sasuke felt a current of fear running through him from head-to-toe as they promised mutilation and murder, a palpable madness hidden within them. The sand-creature then inhaled, its cheeks and throat swelling and bulging, before exhaling audibly.

Sasuke Body Flickered out of the way, taking refuge behind a tree far to the right and out of the path of the Dust Cloud technique as it billowed forward. The howling stream of wind containing the power of the desert tore, grated, and grinded everything that had been behind where he had stood before with the coarse grains of sand within it, capable of stripping flesh from bones and turning bones into dust. By the time the creature had finished expelling the lungful of air, there was a long strip of eroded earth as far as Sasuke's eyes could see in that direction.

 **"Where are you!?"** it screamed, its voice inhumanly hoarse as it raised its nose towards the air. **"Come out! I will have your blood! I'll soak it into my sand as I wring every last drop out of your body until you're nothing but a husk! Then I'll grind your withered corpse down into dust and use it to pad out my sand!"**

Sweat rolled down his brow as he listened to the threats being made. Primal fear gripped his heart and held it in a deathly grasp as he could picture it happening if he was caught. He couldn't die here before he avenged his clan. He had to get away while he could, before it was too late….

Yet, the moment he took a step to leave, he froze again as a thought occurred. If he ran away, he could definitely escape. But then it would prove that his worth as an Uchiha was less than his life.

This was no different than in the Forest of Death. How many times would he surrender and run in the face of overwhelming power and monsters in the form of men? How many times would he need someone else to be there to drive him forward like Naruto and Sakura? How was he was going to defeat the monster in human flesh that killed his entire clan, if he couldn't overcome the monster right in front of him?

No matter how much training he went through. No matter what power he attained. It would all be for nothing if he wouldn't stand up on his own feet and power in the face of a threat that surpassed him.

He bit down on his lower lips, hard enough to draw blood. The pain brought clarity to his mind and drove away the fear… right as the sand-monster caught scent of the blood and turned its murderous gaze towards the tree he'd been hiding behind.

It extended its hands, engorging them until they were big enough to wrap around the entire tree and crush the base. **"Caught ya!"**

"No, you didn't." The voice came from above and behind, from Sasuke standing upside down on a tree limb. There was now a standard-issue Hidden Leaf chakra blade in his hand, withdrawn from his pouch and held in a reverse grip. His mirror-wheel eyes were fixed on the jinchuuriki's own.

 **"Decide to stop running?"** it asked. **"Good. There's no fun in chasing prey—makes them too tired to scream when you catch 'em!"**

"Prey, huh?" Sasuke said calmly, his tone hauntingly low as lightning crackled from the chakra blade. "More than I could say about you. You're just a warm-up before I hunt down mine."

 **[0-0-0]**

The moment Karin's body hit the ground, Naruto ripped the sealing tag in half and ran to be by her side. She was burned, blood covering her body from wounds forced open by the explosion. Had she not been kicked away, it was likely she wouldn't even be whole.

"Karin, can you hear me?" Naruto asked as he skidded to a stop on his knees and took her into his arms. There was no response, leaving him to silently pray to whatever absent gods there were that she was still alive. He felt a pulse as he pressed a finger to her throat, but none of the tension bled away with how shallow it was.

"You're going to be okay! We'll get you to some—" His voice died as he heard the ground parting and turned his head to see Kabuto emerge from the ground. The fucker didn't even look like he was hurt. Naruto grabbed one of his kunai that had been displaced by the explosion and then tossed it straight at his head.

He caught it nonchalantly and then threw it right back, nailing Naruto in the shoulder. The pain of the stab briefly made him flinch, and when he opened his eyes Kabuto was closing the distance with a spare sealing tag that he had. Naruto barely had time to raise his arm and let the seal slap itself onto his jumpsuit sleeve, stopping it from sealing him through direct contact with his skin. Kabuto, undeterred by the lack of a seal, immediately kicked Naruto hard enough in the chin that he was forced to let go of Karin as he arched through the air and hit the ground headfirst with a pained grunt.

Naruto then sank into the ground as it became too soft to support him, leaving only his head sticking out before it hardened again. Naruto wheezed as he struggled in vain to free himself, despite the fact his head felt like it was swimming from the kick, only to see Kabuto leaning down over her. " _Get away… from her…._ "

"You should be relieved that I won't allow such a fine specimen to die so easily," he said as he laid a glowing hand down on her. "Though there's no telling if the quality or potency of her healing ability will be diminished by the burns, or could they be mended as well? I suppose it doesn't matter as long as it remains at least 60% effective for future experiments. "

Listening to him referring to her in such a manner, as an experiment, made Naruto reflect back on what Karin had said. The way she seemed to appreciate the time they'd spent together, even if it was on the orders of someone else, must've meant so much to her—a chance to be with people who didn't treat her like an experiment or only prized her for her abilities.

And now, if he didn't do something, they'd take her back to that sort of life. She didn't deserve to suffer like that. He wouldn't let her suffer like that!

"I said ge **t away from her!"** His face slowly warped to become feral to the extent that the Inuzuka's transformation paled. His normally azure eyes were now bloodshot, red-rimmed slits that served as a mirror of the demon fox within. Hatred begat malevolence—raw and pure—until it seethed from Naruto' tenketsu with such force that it billowed out like a hot gale and unearth him. **"I won't let you treat her like some tool!"**

"Fool," Kabuto said as he stood back up. "Without me to treat her, she won't last another five minutes!"

 **"And let her be a toy for you to experiment with?"** he said as rage began clouding reason. Naruto couldn't save her as he was, but letting her go back to them after she was willing to die to stop him from being taken would be a fate worse than death. No, all he could do now was kill the man before him and then rush back to get her help.

The crimson chakra bubbled and boiled relentlessly from his actual flesh until it encompassed his body in such a density that it formed of a blood-toned cloak with claws, ears, and a tail that seemed writhe on its own accord and wanted nothing more than to lash out. He fell onto all fours, and where he touched the ground the corrupted Yang chakra began to blight the land. **"I… WILL… KILL YOU!"**

 **[0-0-0]**

Sarutobi felt exhausted and it showed as he started to slouch on the staff, watching the flames crackle and burn a charred husk that was once a person. He had put every last drop of chakra into delivering the kill, finally putting an end to his wayward student once and for all. It was a shame. He had shown so much promise, but that was the past.

He turned to see that Jiraiya had a hard look in his eyes as he stared at the corpse. It was hard to tell if he was waiting for any sign of motion, or just having a moment of nostalgia when they and Tsunade had been on the same team. Either way, when the corpse began to writhe, Jiraiya crossed the distance with a Rasengan in hand to make sure that he remained dead.

Two things happened in that instant. The first was the corpse burst apart, charcoaled flesh splitting after serving as an incubator for poisonous serpents that basked in the flames. The second was that the tiled rooftop behind Sarutobi rippled, with the screams from the Anbu Officers watching barely reaching him before a streak of silver parted the air and filled it with a spray of crimson blood.

The Hokage fell down, his arm following suit with a wet thump, as a large white snake stood tall over him with the jian-like sword held by the forked tongue wrapped around the hilt. It had an inhuman face and mouth full of sharp teeth in contrast to a true serpent. Looking down at the exhausted and beaten man, it aimed the tip of the blade down towards his head. _"Die, you old fool!"_

The sword flashed again as it flew forward. This time Enma emerged from his staff-form and grasped the blade's hilt before it could pierce Sarutobi's skull, instead leaving it to hover mere inches away and drip his own blood onto the aged shinobi. The monkey king then grabbed hold of the tongue with his other hand and _pulled_ , ripping it out of the white snake's fanged maw and flinging it aside as he stood guard over his summoner.

" _The power of the white snake flows through me,_ " Orochimaru said, his voice crossed between a hiss and his own as the tongue re-grew. " _It tethers my soul to this plane and heals my wounds. You cannot harm me—you cannot kill me!_ "

There was a red and white blur as Jiraiya leapt past Sarutobi and slammed a Rasengan into the white serpent's maw. The spiraling sphere hit hard, knocking loose several fangs and sending the mass of ivory scales that had once been the soul of his teammate away. Jiraiya spared Sarutobi an apologetic look before turning his attention back to Orochimaru. "Enma, take care of him!"

 _Ah… I blundered at the end,_ Sarutobi thought to himself as Jiraiya went back into the fray. The blood leaking from the stump took with it his strength and vitality, making him look every single year of his age. He felt his body becoming heavier as a result, making it hard to move.

"We have to stop the bleeding," Enma said as he leaned down over him and used one of his stout hands to clamp down on the stump like a tourniquet. The other hand tore off cloth to use as a wrap, biting down on one end of the strip while he circled the stump and knotted it tightly. Only when it was in place did he loosen his hold, as satisfied as he could be with the temporary measure.

" _Enma,_ " Sarutobi wheezed. " _I have to… finish this…_ "

"You don't have any chakra left to do anything that could harm him," Enma said bluntly, if not unkindly. "You gave it your all."

He honestly did. He tried to rectify the sins of the past from not stopping Orochimaru when he had been younger, but he failed. This was the end result. The village was on the verge of destruction and his former student had allowed his very soul to be warped to such an extent that an honest death was no longer enough to save it.

However, peering at the barrier that covered them, he couldn't die in peace unless he ensured that he had stopped this madness. And while he had no strength left for techniques, there was one last way that he could be of use. He raised his remaining arm and pointed towards the defensive encampment that sealed them within here. " _The b… bar…rier…_ "

The summoning looked towards it and then nodded, seemingly in understanding. Though it was ranked a B-ranked technique, it was capable of stopping even Tsunade's beloved one's technique—a physical manifestation of his spirit capable of possessing others—when they'd tested it. What would it do to a soul tethered to the physical plane then?

"You'll only get one final shot," Enma said. "I'll use my own chakra to expand, so make it count."

Sarutobi rose to his feet shakily, haggard breaths escaping from his mouth as Enma once more turned into a staff. It felt heavier in his single arm, but he could still lift and throw it in a single motion. He turned his gaze towards the giant white snake, the mutilated soul of his former apprentice, and Jiraiya, the student that remained loyal and steadfast despite his wanderlust, trying once more to kill one another.

Determination filled him as he gathered his breath into his lungs and held it. He forged his spirit, tempered by the Will of Fire, and the dredges of his lingering physical strength into chakra manually. There would be just enough to get the job done. Holding the staff tight to his body, he spun around to give it the momentum it needed and then released it with a scream.

The staff flew through the air and speared towards Orochimaru, who was already moving to avoid the straight-path flight by getting off-center. It was nothing more than the desperate actions of a dying old man in his eyes, a futile act of one who could only flail as death gripped him with its cold fingers. Then the staff expanded and swelled in an instant, becoming even larger than the serpent itself as Enma expended all his chakra as well to ensure the kill—matching the determination of his summoner and putting their lives on the line.

Jiraiya managed to get out of the way, darting back to grab Sarutobi and moving him away as the expanded end of the staff threatened smash him like it did the rooftop. The white snake was crushed between a staff with the durability of diamonds and the edge of the purple cage of flames, and the violet flames were merciless and indiscriminate as they engulfed both of them. An unholy scream filled the air as the Snake Sannin was immolated by the very barrier that his agents threw up.

"Shit!" one of them yelled as the Sound Four abandoned the formation to save their leader. But it didn't stop the already present flames from consuming him as the Anbu Officers moved to try and capture them. They could not retrieve Orochimaru before the flames consumed the bared and twisted soul entirely. "Retreat!"

They fled with their pursuers hot on their tails, save a scant few who had medical training and were resolved to see that their Hokage made it through the remainder of the invasion alive. Enma grunted gruffly as the transformation shorted out and the chakra shell dissipated, leaving him still covered in the hungry flames. Jiraiya was quick to pull out a Fire Sealing scroll, one of the myriad he had kept prepared for today depending on how the battle would have turned out, and used it to absorb the flames before Enma returned from whence he was summoned.

" _Jir… ai…._ " His student was by his side as he trailed off, unable to finish due to his throat being dry and his lungs weary.

"Easy, Old Man," Jiraiya said as he grasped his old man's good hand. "You did it. He's gone this time, nothing left behind—not even ashes. Just lay still and let them help you make it. You hear me?"

His mouth opened and closed as he tried to breathe out a few words. " _Vill…age…go—_ "

"Help the village, I know. I'll go, but don't you dare die." He gently set the strength-less hand down and turned to the Anbu using the Mystic Palm technique to try and stimulate his failing body into carrying on just a little long, offering their healing chakra as a supplement to offset the diminished physical energy, while the other focused on dealing with the missing arm. "Don't let him die! I don't care what it takes; we are not losing another Hokage like this!"

"Understood, Jiraiya-sama!" one of them said. "We'll make sure the Hokage survives!"

Watching Jiraiya jump off the building and into the fray once more, despite his previous exhaustive battle, Hiruzen Sarutobi's lips forced themselves into a small smile as he slowly exhaled. _Good, he'll make a fine Hokage after me…._

The foundation had already been laid out for it to happen behind closed doors. With Orochimaru dead there was no longer any need for the guilt to chain him down from taking the role. He may be a little reluctant, but it was for the best with Tsunade not fit for the role at the moment and their being few others he could trust.

With that thought in mind, the Hokage closed his eyes and the sounds of battle in the distant faded entirely….


	20. Chapter 20

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

A deep roar sounded from Naruto's mouth as he lunged towards Kabuto, bounding off an overturned tree. The spot where his shroud touched it began to grow cancerously, twisted bulbs forming from where the corrupted chakra suffused the tree's cells and mutated them towards a ruinous end. That was the fate of anything without a sufficient protection against the corrosive chakra of the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra.

It wasn't a battle. It couldn't be. Not when Naruto's current state wasn't that of a human, but of a beast wrapped in a boiling shroud of murderous desire that eclipsed human understanding. And the longer he lingered in this state, the more his thoughts were drowned in the crimson sea of rancor, making it harder for him to come back in the end.

His charge was currently akin to that of a maddened predator pursuing a fleeting prey, swiping at Kabuto with his sharpened claws without giving a moment of respite. He had an innate understanding that if he connected enough times the traitor would die. All he had to do was break the skin and let the bubbling chakra that composed his shroud sink into it, and that would be the end of it.

The invasive chakra would eat at his muscles, making them rip themselves apart under his own weight. His organs would fail utterly, a cascading cessation of bodily functions that would leave him nothing more than a meat puppet to be torn apart at the beast's leisure. It would burn away Kabuto's chakra network from the corrosiveness, attacking him on a spiritual and physical plane.

The medic was very well-informed of how chakra interacted with the human body, including using a thin layer of his own to prevent any of it from leaking into his tenketsu by proximity. However, given the sheer amount that coated Naruto, if he broke through his flesh and hit a major organ then that would be the end. So, with deceptive ease, Kabuto continuously outmaneuvered him to find an opening.

The beast roared in frustration at not being able to touch the medic, and the shroud bubbled even more violently. He had to move faster if he was going to catch the slippery shinobi, and a second tail emerged in response to that desire for bloodshed. When Naruto moved this time, the frenzied pace outstripped his previous speed.

Needless to say, Kabuto did his damndest to avoid being caught by Naruto after one of the claws managed to tear into the cloth of his shirt before he could Body Flicker away, blood leaking from the rends in his flesh. He tried to sink into the earth and escape below the ground, but Naruto's response to that was to thrust his arms into the earth and let the shroud engorge before pulling upwards. It upturned entire tracts of land and uprooted dozens of trees, sending the medic airborne with the rotted dirt before he started running again.

Naruto's breathing became ragged and his eyes bloodshot as he continued to lash out and chase Kabuto. The screams of his muscles and body that said going any faster wasn't possible were met with a surge of the fox's chakra, pushing them even further to keep up with his bloodlust and raise his speed and strength. It was self-destructive in the long run, but for the sake of killing his enemy it was acceptable….

Then he heard Karin's scream in the distance.

 **[0-0-0]**

Sakura's jaunt through the forest came to a stop far from the distant crashing, when they heard a familiar whimpering sound. "Is that… Akamaru?"

"If it's a pup, then yes." Pakkun sniffed the air and pointed slightly to the west. "There are a couple of people over that way, some dead."

Sakura immediately went that way and stumbled past two corpses, reduced to mere husks riddled with a pox of markings and welts. She came across a gruesome scene, the ground cratered by what looked to be a number of explosions, blood and gore, and scattered weapons, with her peers lying on the ground around them. Her stomach dropped at the sight, while the ninja pug trotted through the gore unperturbed and laid a paw on Shino's neck.

"Alive." Pakkun then went to Shikamaru and did the same before nodding. "They're both alive."

Sakura released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding when Akamaru started yipping again. The pup was on the ground by Kiba, who was slouched against a tree in an uncomfortable position, his face scrunched up in pain despite being unconscious. The white fur of the pup was muddy, dirt covering it from where it dragged itself towards him.

Pakkun went over to Akamaru, noted it was putting as little weight as it could on one leg in particular, and then asked. "What happened?"

Akamaru barked a few times rapidly, with Pakkun nodding his head along. Sakura guessed that since they were dogs they could understand each other. After that, he went over to Kiba and unceremoniously bit him on the leg.

"OW!" Kiba shot right up and grabbed his leg. Then he glared at the ninja pug that looked blasé about having bitten him. "What the Hell was that for?"

"Because you're the only one who can still move," he said. "The others need a medic before they'll be able to. According to the pup here, some corpse-scented four-eyes came and did something to them and they aren't responding."

"Where'd the son of bi— **agh**!" The moment he tried to push himself off the tree and get up, a flash of pain crossed his face. Kiba brought a hand to his shoulder as Sakura closed the distance between them. "Damn, it's dislocated. Sakura, you mind?"

She grabbed his arm. "I just push it in?"

"Yeah," he said. "Don't hold back."

Sakura gave him a moment to grit his teeth before she did so. The pop could be heard by all there. "Better?"

He rolled it around and then nodded, hopping back to his feet. That was when a deep, reverberating roar came from the direction that Sakura had heard the earlier crashing sounds coming from. "What was that?"

"It's Naruto," Pakkun said. "From the smell and sound, I'd say he's fighting that guy that attacked you right now."

"He is?" Kiba asked, rubbing the back of his head. "The last thing I remember was after that bastard hit me into the tree. He was telling Naruto to come with him or he'd do something to that red-headed girl we'd caught before I passed out."

A look of surprise crossed Sakura's face and she stood up. "Wait, Karin was here? Where—" her voice died when she looked off to the side to see Byakko's mask on the ground, and even further was the charred and Cursed Mark-laden body of what looked to be Naruto's clanswoman. " _Oh no_."

She ran over to her and kneeled onto the ground, pressing her fingers to the girl's neck. "She's barely got a pulse," Sakura said when Pakkun walked up to her. "If we don't do something fast she'll die."

Not that she was certain what she could do given the scope of her injuries, with the year-older girl's breathing so soft it was nearly none-existent. However, the moment Sakura lifted her hand, the charred and torn sleeve of Karin's shirt slid down to reveal an impression of teeth in her skin. It immediately brought to mind the library visit—truth in myths—and if that was the case….

"It's better than doing nothing," Sakura decided as she pressed down on Karin's chin to open her mouth. Then she brought the girl's forearm to her mouth and fixed it between her teeth. Placing her hand beneath her jaw, Sakura took a deep breath before she pushed it up as hard as she could.

Karin's entire body jerked violently. Her flesh mended, all traces of the burns vanishing as healthy tissue replaced the damaged ones, and her eyes snapped open. Then she started screaming as dark lightning crackled over her body. The seal that had been meant to punish her had only gone dormant while she was unconscious, once more tormenting her for the very act that saved her life.

"Ah!" Sakura stepped back in surprise, releasing Karin's arm.

Karin stopped moving when it hit the ground, lying flat on the surface. Awake now, her breathing was audible as she gazed around without moving her head in search of someone or something. Then she closed her eyes and tensed, abruptly yelling at the top of her lungs, "NARUTO, STOP!"

The warning came in time as Sakura felt a murderous shadow being cast over her and turned to see that Naruto had come out of nowhere. His now-clawed hands, shrouded in a thick layer of boiling crimson chakra, stopped just a few inches from her head mid-swing. A second later and he would have taken it off her shoulders.

" **Sa** … _ku_ …ra?" His eyes squinted until recognition dawned and then widened in horror. He stepped back, shaking his head furiously as the dense layer of chakra covering him evaporated. When it was all gone, his features returning to normal, he fell onto his hands and knees panting.

"I'm sorry," he said, casting his eyes onto the ground. "I… I couldn't tell it was you. I was so **angry** that everything went red… and when I heard Karin screaming, and I… I couldn't think right…"

"…What was that?" Sakura asked after a pause, causing him to flinch.

"It's an S-Class secret," Pakkun stated firmly before he could answer. "Don't press him on it, especially not now."

Naruto turned his head towards the unfamiliar voice. "Who are you?"

"I'm one of Kakashi's nin-dogs," he said. "I was sent to help track your teammate when we found these guys lying here and the girlie stopped."

"Is he nearby?" Naruto asked. "We might need him. Kabuto is working for that snake-creep from the Forest of Death, and he a lot stronger and faster than he looks. I barely managed to touch him. If he comes back now—"

"He's running," Karin told him. "I can feel it. Some of your chakra is in his system and he's running away, probably to get somewhere he can purge or dilute it before it causes lasting damage. He's almost out of my range at this point."

Naruto audibly breathed a sigh of relief. Sakura remembered Kabuto as the boy they'd met in the Chuunin Exams and at the market. Was he really that strong?

"I'm glad you're okay," Naruto continued, speaking gently to Karin. "I thought you were—"

"I hate to break up this touching moment," Pakkun interjected. "But right now you've got bigger things to worry about—like the fact that the Uchiha is still further ahead, and I'm picking up a lot of ozone from where he is, meaning he's fighting with a lot of Lightning Chakra."

Naruto looked from him to Sakura and then Karin. "Can you tell what's happening from here?"

"Yeah," Karin said. "I can feel that the Uchiha is fighting that Gaara-boy further ahead. His chakra… it's tainted a bit, like I've felt from other people who have the Cursed Mark when they're at a first stage. And Gaara feels like he's partially-transformed now, the Tailed-Beast's chakra is covering his body in an outline. I don't think the Uchiha will last long."

Sakura sucked in a sharp breath. It was clear from what she was saying, and how Naruto reacted to that, that the two of them were more informed of the situation. The fact that she was covered in these markings gave Sakura an inkling of an idea, but she couldn't sit there and think on it much longer. She jumped up to her feet and moved to head towards Sasuke's direction when Naruto grabbed her.

"You'll die!" Naruto warned. "I'll go and save Sasuke. You stay here and keep the others safe."

"You're barely standing," Sakura pointed out. He was so light on his feet that it looked like a strong breeze could blow him down. "I'm the least tired and can still fight."

"It's got to be me," Naruto insisted. "Sasuke would never forgive me or himself if we let you die."

"I'm done being coddled, Naruto!" Sakura all-but yelled as she broke free of his grip too easily. "I… I didn't go through helping you and training with the others after the Forest of Death just to leave my teammates to fight again while I stay on the sidelines!"

"In the first place, this is a rescue mission," Pakkun stated factually, looking between the two of them. "Our objective is to get him out of the battle _alive_. The longer you squabble over who is protecting who, the more likely he'll die by the time it's settled."

"Then we go together," Sakura decided. "I can cover our escape by layering a Genjutsu over the surroundings like those guys from Hidden Rain did to us in the Forest of Death."

Naruto _looked_ like he wanted to say otherwise, but didn't.

"Naruto," Karin called, grabbing their attention. She swallowed a deep breath and then continued. "Bite me and take Byakko. Your body should be healed enough that the extra chakra bleeds into your reserves and gives you back some of your stamina. Use that to reconstitute Byakko, get your teammate, and run."

"But, if I move you—"

"I'll deal with it," she said. "It'll hurt, but I'd rather deal with the short-term pain that let you go there without helping while I can. Take my pouch too—the supplies inside of it should be able to help you as well."

Sakura watched as Naruto's face settled into a somber mask. He knew it would cause her unimaginable pain, but couldn't refute that he needed all the help he could get after exhausting himself. Not if he didn't want his teammates to die.

"I'm sorry," he said, taking a step forward and kneeling on the ground. Wordlessly and delicately, he took her arm with one hand and winced as the dark streamers of lightning punished her for the movement. His other snaked to get her pouch from underneath her.  
Karin gritted her teeth and screwed her eyes shut while that was happening, doing her best not to scream at the pain. Even more so when Naruto bit down on her arm near where Sakura forced her to bite herself earlier. Suddenly all the exhaustion in his body seemed to vanish as he immediately set her hand down and Karin let out a laborious whimper, tears falling down the corner of her eyes from the pain.

"Don't forget these," said Kiba from behind them. They turned to see that he was holding Naruto's pouch and weapons holsters in one hand. He tossed them to Naruto. "I don't understand half of whatever is going on, but I'll watch over everyone here until we can get back to the village safe and sound."

"…Thanks," Naruto said as he caught them and strapped them back into place. He grabbed the mask, poured the chakra that had sunken into his body into it, and then dashed his bloody thumb on the back of the mask.

Byakko reemerged, this time under Naruto's control. Sakura mounted the tiger after Naruto took the front, with Pakkun leaping up on the head and pointing them onwards. With one final look behind, Naruto gave the word and Byakko shot towards the direction of the fight as fast as possible.

 **[0-0-0]**

Sasuke felt the prickly sensation of the Cursed Mark consuming the left half of his body, spreading its roots deeper within and supplanting his own chakra with a different source—a second well of power that brought his physical abilities to a greater height. It was because of that he could move quickly enough to dash in, slice through that transformed Sand Armor that made up Gaara's current form with his lightning-coated chakra blade, and dash away before being caught in its retaliation.

Even with the change in his form, Gaara's weakness hadn't change from the match before. He was still too slow. His reflexes were not on the same level of his offensive power, and his automatic defense seemed to be non-functional after taking this form, leaving him vulnerable to a blitz. Using the surrounding trees as his bouncing board and his Sharingan to map a path, he forced himself to move with as fast as he could, cleaving with quick strokes that ate away at the Sand Armor faster that he could replace it.

" **Stand still!** " roared the partially-transformed Jinchuuriki as his temper flared, reaching a breaking point where he raised spines of hardened sand from the ground surrounding him, in an effort to impale the Uchiha as he rushed in. They were deftly avoided, only for there to be a flash of lightning as the blade cleaved through them all and left a deep cut through his thickened torso. There was a spray of blood from the tender flesh beneath it. " **Rrggaaahhhh!** "

 _I have to end this!_ Sasuke thought to himself. There was a limit to how long he could move like this before his body broke down. The chakra blade was doing an admirable job so far, but it wasn't enough. It wouldn't be enough as long as he could move.

Chidori would be best. It would punch through that Sand Armor entirely and then through the body beneath it. But the time it took to charge would take too long, and after a certain point he wouldn't be able to condense enough lightning chakra to use it.

He was torn from his musings as Gaara swept his arms out and fired clumps of hardened sand like a hail storm that tore through the surrounding land. He dodged it as best he could, but the sheer amount led to him being clipped on the forearm and a sickening crack was heard as it broke. Sasuke stumbled into the ground, only to immediately spring to his feet before his opponent could capitalize on it.

It was still too slow. Gaara's extended hand grabbed hold of Sasuke and lifted him into the air. " **NOW I'M GOING TO WRING THE LIFE OUT OF YOU!** "

Sasuke felt the pressure closing in and growing tight. The way it was pressing into his broken arm left him unable to hold his voice in from the pain. " **Agggggaahh!** "

" **THAT'S IT! SCREAM!** " His grip grew tighter and his lips peeled back to reveal his fangs. " **I WANT TO HEAR YOU CRY OUT AND BEG FOR MERCY UNTIL THE END!** "

Sasuke refused to give him the luxury of that and tightened his throat. He wouldn't die like this! Not like this! Not before he killed his brother!

That was the moment that a number of kunai wedged themselves into the base of the arm, explosive tags detonating and blowing the sand-forged limb from the main body. The partially-transformed jinchuuriki screamed as he pulled back a bloody, human limb. The arm only remained intact because of the density of the sand covering it prior, but he wouldn't be using it again anytime soon.

Sasuke fell to the ground, still shrouded in sand. He used what was left of the chakra within the Cursed Seal, releasing it all in a burst from his body to blow away the sand covering him. Then he rose to his knees panting, his muscles in agony, as the expended chakra caused the Cursed Seal markings to retract and left Sasuke exhausted.

And when he raised his head to look upon the newly cast shadow, he found Naruto and Sakura astride the white tiger between him and his enemy….


	21. Chapter 21

Another Chapter is here.

Enjoy!

Sasuke struggled onto his feet as the others on top of Naruto's tiger creature stared down the transformed Sand shinobi. His mind was racing against the lethargy brought on by the exhaustion as the Sharingan went dormant from lack of chakra. What were they doing here?

He saw Sakura tense for a moment as she met with the inhuman eyes that seemed to regard their intrusion as a personal offense to its fun, mere seconds away from crushing the last of the Uchiha remaining within the Leaf. Then she held her hands together in a hand-seal before he could move. A blinding white light emerged and stole Sasuke's vision as the transformed shinobi howled.

"C'mon!" He felt something wrapping around his waist and pulling him along as his eyes still reeled from the blinding light. Judging from the speed of the motion, the sound, and the width of what was supporting him, he guessed that it was Naruto as the tiger sped away.

As the sharp, stinging pain that stabbed away at his eyes lessened, he forced them open to see that they were moving at a frantic pace on top of the tiger. The four legs seemed to eat the distance, covering vast space like a gale. He turned to his teammates and… a pug?

"What are you doing here?" he asked as the tiger leapt and landed at the bottom of an uneven slope.

Naruto turned his gaze sideways, briefly looking away from the path ahead to meet his black eyes with a cerulean pair. "Getting you away from that guy. You can't fight it."

Sasuke's jaw tensed as he gritted his teeth at that. He _had_ been fighting it. He would have won had he been a little faster and had a little more chakra. Then he loosened his jaw as a thought occurred. "That technique wouldn't be enough to get away. I have to finish it."

"I bought us time," Sakura said. That technique was one of the simplest external genjutsu in the world, creating a flare of yin chakra that mimicked the brightness of the sun. It was nothing more than a distraction that could be done with flash bombs, but she didn't have any of those with her stolen supplies. "I followed up with an illusion on the surroundings after I blinded him."

"That's not what I meant," Sasuke said. "I mean that his sense of smell is heightened. He could track me by my blood the entire time. He'll be after us in seconds."

"I doubt he can keep up with Byakko."

Sasuke shook his head. "No, you're not getting it. He won't _stop_ coming after us. How long until either your tiger runs out of chakra or we lead him back to the village? With his techniques, the casualty rate will jump through the roof if I don't stop him now."

As if to punctuate his point, a murderous howl filled the air. The ground trembled, split apart, and sank into itself. Sand erupted from below like it did during the match with Sasuke, only in greater amounts—closer to an eruption as the pressure sent broken trees and massive mounds of upturned earth into the air. Then they all dropped down along with sand that shaped and hardened itself into pointed clumps.

The white tiger stalled, dropped them low, and then curled around them as a makeshift shield while the world around them seemed to undergo a localized cataclysm. The ground shook endlessly as the constant weight dropping down bombarded the landscape, breaking the flora around it. It threw up massive clouds of dust that rolled outwards and threatened to choke them if they didn't hold their breaths.

A haunting silence peppered with the sound of crumbling wood followed, only broken by the light wind that carried the dust clouds upwards. Byakko, whose white fur was covered in so much dust that it masked the tiger as another stone, unfurled to reveal the four that it had been guarding were unharmed, if covered in earthen dust as well. They coughed and sneezed, struggling to breathe as they waved away the lingering dust.

" _Oh no_ ," Sakura said softly, a note of stomach-churning horror in her voice. Sasuke could see why. The sheer devastation behind that attack had decimated a good portion of the area they were in, while they could make out rising columns of dust in the distance. The worst hit places looked like massive craters from where the ground had sank in even before the impacts, the dirt and roots beneath it grounded into more sand and then removed violently.

"The others," Naruto said. "Did it reach them too?"

The pug shook itself violently to clean its fur and raised a paw. "I doubt it. We were going to circle around with Sasuke and make sure we lost the other guy before going back. They probably felt the tremors, but it looks like the majority of it was around us."

He breathed easier for a moment in relief. "Good."

"Like I said, he won't stop chasing me since I hurt him," Sasuke said. "Even if we run, he'll level area until he gets us. We can only run for so long until he catches us one way or another. I have to end it."

It was a fact he wholeheartedly backed, and not just because the thought of running sickened him. The wounded beast fought back. It was kill or be killed at this point. He had to do this.

Naruto's eyes met his narrowed pair and understanding passed on some level. That much Sasuke could tell. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a Soldier's Pill. "Take this. You're out of chakra."

Sasuke grabbed it and plopped it into his mouth. The burst of bitter taste as it went down was replaced by a burning sensation as the lean fat in his body was transmuted into chakra and the stimulants kicked in, pushing away the exhaustion. Invigorated, he turned towards the path they fled from and his legs tensed to kick off when his teammates stood in front of him.

"You're not going alone, especially when you can use only one arm," Sakura said before he could go. "We need to work together."

"You'll die if you get in the way again," Sasuke said.

"You would have died if we didn't the first time," she shot back heatedly. "We can't run, so we have to fight. But rushing in like you did before won't help either—we need to approach this with a plan."

"I can do this myself," he argued, his Sharingan once more flaring to life as he clenched his fist. "The Chidori is the only thing we have that can reliably penetrate his impervious defense, and I'm the only one that can do. All I need is one solid hit and—"

"You go alone and you'll die without accomplishing anything this time, kid," the pug said gruffly. "Kakashi sent me to have them get you specifically because it's not advisable for any of you to try and take him alone. I've been with him a long time, so I know the drawbacks to your Sharingan and Chidori is that they lose effectiveness the more the enemy is exposed to them. Kakashi already has enough to grieve over besides one of the first students he's taken on dying because he tried using the techniques he taught him futilely. Swallow your pride and act accordingly."

Sasuke felt a growl bubble up in his throat… but quelled it. The damn dog was right. Doing the same thing that doesn't work is just asking to be killed, and he couldn't avenge his clan if he died then and there.

Plus… these two would just come after him again like before and get themselves killed, unless they had some kind of plan. He couldn't let that happen, not because of him. Sasuke unclenched his fist and turned to his teammates. "Talk fast. We don't have a lot of time before he comes again."

Sakura nodded and got to talking while she applied First Aid to his arm to stop him from worsening it….

 **[0-0-0]**

Gaara bounded forward in his pseudo-transformed state, sniffing the air in search of his prey with his narrowed nose now that the dust was no longer obstructing it. He hoped that they were still alive. It wouldn't be satisfying if he didn't grab them and wring the life out of them in an offering to Mother.

The smell of blood that he had been tracking thickened as he neared, still fresh and hot. That was good. Cold blood didn't feel right as it clogged between the grains of sand, forcing him to churn it until it was a fine powder. No, it had to be wet and moist, slipping in-between each grain and coating it with the rich smell. The thought of the Uchiha's and blonde brat's blood, the blood of the only two that had hurt him so far, saturating his sand was enough to make him shudder in maddening anticipation.

The jinchuuriki of the One-Tailed Raccoon leapt into the area that smelled the thickest and found the Uchiha and his companion standing over the girl that lay on the ground unconscious. He thrust both hands out at her and they both moved to intercept, bringing them right into his grasp. Gaara opted to crush them over his head immediately and savor the warm shower as his Mother demanded. They and the girl popped with a tightening of his grip, erupting into a plume of smoke each instead.

He coughed as his massive arms swept back and forth to clear it away, only for the world around him to have changed. The area that had been destroyed was now renewed, thick with trees once more. It was another external genjutsu, he could tell that much easily enough. **"Come out and face me, you cowards!"**

Footsteps thundered against the ground as dozens of clones of the blonde brat emerged from the trees, each brandishing a kunai in an attempt to swarm him. They flung them as one, unleashing a rain of steel from all directions upon his imposing frame. He wanted to scoff at the attempt—he couldn't count the number of times the assassins his father sent did that. A thought and expunge of chakra fired clumps of hardened sand out in all directions, knocking them askew and destroying the clones in en masse.

He raised his nose again in anticipation. The hardened clumps should have smashed their bones and let loose blood run free from the real bodies if they were nearby, even with the illusion. He smelled and heard nothing, despite the fact that their pained cries should be ringing out and the scent of the blood should be alluring him to where they laid. How was it possible that he missed all of them?

The sound of parting air reached his sharpened ears and he turned towards it, inhaling and exhaling to fire off an air bullet to intercept a tagged-kunai. The air ball expanded on contact with the tag and the explosion was kept at a distance. That's when a second onslaught of clones followed, each with tagged-kunai this time.

 **"You won't beat me with these cheap tricks!"** He inhaled and used his Sandstorm Devastation technique, unleashing a squall from all around by rotation as he exhaled. The sand-and-chakra laced wind bellowed out and made the illusion waver as the chakra in his attack pushed away the surrounding yin chakra that acted as a canvas for the illusion, revealing the true blonde hiding behind his tiger construct all this time in the distance.

He smirked at the sight, only for the illusion to return and be filled with falling leaves this time. The blonde hopped onto the top of the tiger as it prepared to flee, but Gaara was quick to lunge after him before he could with his massive claws. He was almost within striking range when the number of leaves swelled and blocked his sight, a number of clones in the real one's place that held explosive-tags they immediately triggered.

Gaara leapt away before the explosions could consume him, only to wobble as he landed. He felt like the world was seesawing underneath his feet. His mind flashed back to the match as well and it clicked, causing him to roar in impotent rage as another onslaught of clones came in again.

This time they Body Flickered in-between the falling leaves, closing the distance faster than he could exhale a wind technique to blow them away. So he swung his arms, flailing to destroy them in a single strike. He was sloppy and sluggish with his balance compromised, and it created an opening as one of the clones he swatted was replaced with a substitution by the real Naruto before it exploded, two tags on his hands like knuckle-dusters.

Gaara twisted his body to swat at him, but he was gone with another substitution and attacked his backside with his fists. They didn't so much as break his Sand Armor and he smirked at the stupidity of the weakling. His sand encased his fists and held him fast. **"Caught y—AHHH!"**

The scream was birthed from the rupturing of the tags. They were concussive explosives, directed so that the shockwave directly impacted his organs beneath the surface of his armor and skin, barely padded out enough by the sand and charka in it to absorb it from forcing them out of his body. Instead, Gaara flew from the impact until he hit the ground and was on his hands and knees, spewing blood from his mouth.

He roared as he turned his wild eye towards the blonde to see him vanishing as the leaves fell over him again and swung his arm. Sand-made shuriken pelted the area, but there were no cries of pain or blood to say that he had hit. He rose to his feet and turned around in circles, trying to find them while nursing the pain from before. More kunai appeared as the leaves continued to fall in greater numbers, carrying with tags as they rained death from all directions and forced Gaara surround himself in a sand cocoon as the leaves continued to fall, until he was completely sealed within it.

A tired, aggravated breath escaped his mouth as the explosions went off outside the cocoon. His body hurt so much, but he couldn't catch them as the world continued to tilt around him. He couldn't keep this up at this rate. As much as it aggravated him otherwise, he couldn't waste anymore time by trying to use his hands to wring the life out of them—he'd settle for breaking the world around them again.

He touched the ground and prepared to upturn the earth once more for his Sand Cataclysm technique, only to notice that some of the leaves shifted beneath his hands. The chakra shell covering them vanished to reveal that they were explosive tags, sealed inside with him. He had just enough time to open a hole in the cocoon, and get halfway out before they exploded and caught him into the back.

The explosion robbed him of his sense of direction as he smacked his head against the earth. The world seesawed even more as he lay there, edging on the verge on unconsciousness, when he saw that the ground was opening up in the distance. A small pug emerged from beneath it, along with the pink-haired girl and the Uchiha. That's how they avoided his constant attacks.

The other two fled as the illusion dissipated and the Uchiha made hand-seals, a makeshift splint on the broken forearm. Then he held his hand low to the ground as it sparked to life with lightning that chirped like a thousand birds. With crimson eyes and spinning tomoe, he rushed forward.

 **"STAY BACK!"** The cry came out before he realized it, pain wracking his body from the attacks. He took hold of his sand and threw it all forward, creating a wall of death by which he couldn't pass, only for the Uchiha to vanish and be replaced by the blonde brat that anchored four tagged kunai to the ground and held another up, creating a barrier that blocked the onrushing sand. The sound of innumerable chirping came from behind him, and he turned to be blinded by the blue and angry glare of the technique before he experienced unimaginable pain once more as it punched through his Sand Armor and into his stomach below.

 **[0-0-0]**

Naruto watched tiredly, his hands aching from the backlash of using the concussive tags like that, as Sasuke panted while he pulled his good hand out and jumped away from his target. The Sand Armor slowly crumbled around Gaara, who stood there was his eyes and mouth wide open in agony. He must've passed out from the pain, explaining why his scream died so abruptly.

Naruto hated that it came to that. He hated that someone like him—someone with a monster sealed inside of him—had to be struck down like that. If they rushed him to the village, then maybe he would make it, but… they didn't have a choice if they were going to survive.

"It had to be done, kid," Pakkun said, as if sensing his distress. The pug had worked himself tired to dig the tunnel that the others had hid under while Naruto had been running around on Byakko. Likewise, Sakura had worked hard to keep up the different illusions, masking the tags as falling leaves that Naruto dropped over him while she also hid both him and Byakko from sight.

"Maybe…" He sighed. "Let's get him and the others back to the village now."

Naruto moved closer to him when he heard Gaara muttering something as he struggled to bring himself up to his knees. Did he force himself back into consciousness? He strained to move his hands together despite the fact that it clearly caused him pain to do so.

"Don't try and fight anymore," Naruto told him. "Between the poison and your injuries, you won't survive if you keep trying to."

" _Never… to… you…_ " Gaara muttered as he clasped his hands together. " _I will…_ never lose to… **someone like you three!** "

He made a final seal and then collapsed, leaving Naruto to wonder if he had committed suicide somehow. The thought was dispelled as a violent force was suddenly unleashed and he was thrown backwards while something massive took up the space where he and the others had once been, displacing them. Then he looked up…

And the primal fear of being at the base of a fully-released Tailed-Beast filled him with dread.


	22. Chapter 22

**Another Chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Naruto's heart felt like it would sink into his stomach from primal fear as he looked up to a being that was possibly taller than the Hokage monument. It was even bigger than the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed within him. To think such a thing was sealed inside of Gaara of the Desert, someone roughly his age and height….

 **"MUHAHAHAHAHAHA!"** roared the monster tanuki jollily. **"I'M FINALLY FREE! I'M FINALLY FREE TO CUT LOOSE! YEAAAAAAHHHH!"**

And it was apparently nuts as well, which only added to Naruto's compounded fear as it turned its beady eyes towards him and the others. A murderous smile crept across its face and its massive hand rose into the air. It was going to smash them beneath its palm, swatting them like flies without mercy.

The looming shadow deepened as Naruto remained frozen in place from the fear, until a white blur swept past him and a pair of slender arms scooped him up. Wind roared and the crashing palm grew distant as he turned to see that Pakkun, Sasuke, and Sakura had mounted Byakko. Sakura was the one who had grabbed him, struggling to pull him up onto Byakko's back while it kept moving.

 **"Hurry up and climb, Naruto!"** Sakura yelled over the fierce wind that whipped at their ears and flesh from the speed which they traversed the uneven land, further ruined by the Sand Cataclysm earlier.

"Eh… right." Naruto grabbed onto the fur and climbed the speeding tiger until he was behind Sakura, just past the leg muscles that pounded the ground hard and fast. Then he reached for the spiritual connection he had with the white tiger construct and transmitted his thoughts. _'Byakko, how long can you last?'_

 _'Not long. Flee and hide.'_ Byakko had gone far enough in the narrow space of time to where Naruto could make out the Tailed-Beast like he would a small mountain, keeping pace at the expense of burning through the chakra it had left to constitute itself. It darted around at a frantic gait, desperately trying to disappear from the giant creature's line of sight so that they could squirrel themselves away and hide before it vanished in the span of a minute.

The monster tanuki didn't even give them that much time. The darting tiger may have taken refuge beneath the canopy, but it could devastate the area with ease. It inhaled until its inhuman lungs and belly swelled, melding its chakra with the inhaled air and compressing it. Then beat its hand against its stomach like a drum, forcing out a massive Air Bullet that shot forward.

Naruto's world ended in a sea of whiteness and thunderous rumble the moment it hit the ground not all that close to them and the shell of chakra that compressed it was undone. All that constrained air was released like a balloon going pop. The force behind it proved capable of leveling a small village and the area surrounding it as the expanding dome of air swept up everything it touched, carting it further out until the windstorm dispersed.

The world was blurry as Naruto pulled himself from underneath a pile of debris, pieces of wood, earth, and foliage that had been torn asunder still raining down. His flesh ached, rips in his jumpsuit from being scraped against by the flung debris stained red with blood, and the ringing in his ears pounded at his skull. After he finished pulling himself free, he gazed around blearily to see that he had been carried just outside of the impact zone—marked by the massive lake-sized crater through which the monster tanuki was slowly making its way forward.

He… he couldn't fight that. Not when it could bring this level of devastation. He had to keep running— _they_ had to keep running. Where were the others?

Naruto felt his mouth move and words come out, but they were drowned out by the ringing in his ears. He placed his palms against his ears, pressed in, and then pulled to clear it enough that he could pick up Sasuke's drowned out voice. He turned towards it.

Sasuke was sitting down, covered in just as many cuts as Naruto, with some leaking more than others. Sakura was in his arms unconscious, blood cascading down half her face and dripping down her chin. It looked bad.

 _"We have… to go,"_ Naruto said tiredly as he stumbled to his teammates, the thundering footfalls of the raccoon dog shaking the ground with every step.

"I can't run with my leg like this," Sasuke told him. Naruto looked down to see a large twig had impaled him through the thigh, covered in crimson blood. "Take Sakura and go."

Seeing the wound, realization set in for Naruto. He was too tired as it was to get Sakura away in time, and he couldn't carry Sasuke as well. Not to mention he didn't even see the pug or Byakko's mask, and they didn't have time to dig for them. They… they were going to die unless he fought… and that meant there was only one last thing he could do—rely on the power he hated so much.

 _"C'mon,"_ he muttered in a harsh whisper, reaching for the spiritual link to the prisoner within his seal. _"Give me more chakra…. Or you're… going with me… when it kills us…."_

Like Gama said, self-preservation got the fox to answer his plea. He could hear the snarl as it began to leak chakra through the seal. It patched his wounds as it covered him in a wavering coat of crimson chakra that surged out from his tenketsu.

The monster tanuki noticed the chakra. Its expression shifted to something almost human—recognition. Then it began to run towards them rather than slowly walk forward as it had been to savor their fear of impending death.

Ripping into his own flesh with his teeth, Naruto offered as much blood as he could while he made the hand-seals for the Summoning technique. He then slammed his hands down onto the ground and sealing script etched itself across the uneven debris. Using it as a conduit for the Time-Space technique, bridging the distance to be crossed in an instant by dumping as much chakra as he could into the seal, a plume of smoke erupted from it like a volcano and suddenly consumed the three humans.

The Tailed-Beast leapt towards it, only to be caught off-guard as a powerful stream of water slammed it in the torso. The blow came so hard and fast that the massive creature went flying backwards. It crashed into the ground seconds later, tumbling backwards and digging a trench as wide as it was until it came to a stop. The draft released from the impact also blew away to the smoke to reveal Gamabunta in his all his amphibian glory.

 **"A Tailed-Beast, huh?"** He inhaled from his pipe and exhaled a plume of acrid smoke before putting it away. **"Been over a decade since I've had to deal with one of those. A little warning would have been nice."**

"I'm sorry about this, Boss Toad," Naruto said from atop his head with Sasuke, who was still holding onto Sakura while his eyes were wide in surprise. "I didn't have any other choice."

 **"I'll overlook it this once."** The hiss of his sword leaving its scabbard rang out as the largest of the toads held it at the ready. **"Jiraiya told us ahead of time that there was likely to be trouble and intended to keep me in reserve in case there was a threat large enough to warrant it."**

Naruto didn't know who that was, but he figured this counted. As the One-Tailed Raccoon Dog rose to its feet, he turned to Sasuke.

"Anchor yourself with the Wall-Walking technique and hold onto Sakura. There isn't going to be a safe place to set either of you down."

Then the battle between titans began.

 **[0-0-0]**

Sasuke felt like he'd been left out of the loop as he anchored himself astride the top of the giant toad, moments before the creature that Gaara of the Desert became retaliated for being knocked on its ass. It fired another of those cannonballs of air that devastated the land beforehand, and the Boss Toad countered with a water variation of the same technique.

They clashed, releasing a storm of wind and rain over the land. The summoning then leapt forward with steel in hand, causing Sasuke's stomach to lurch into his throat. He tightened his good arm around Sakura to keep her helpless body from falling as the blade flashed and cleaved through the air.

The sword abruptly stopped midway through the stout arm of the raccoon dog born of sand and became lodged within it. It then reared its other arm back to strike, sand gathering around the fist to shape it into a massive sphere like a boxing glove. The summoned toad brought both legs forward and kicked off the massive gut of the Tailed-Beast, the firm grip on his sword allowing him to wrench it free while flipping backwards. He skidded to a stop a good distance away, clearing entire tracks of land in the process.

The tanuki roared as it thrust its arms forward and sand extended across the distant in thick streams, only to begin branching out. From two to four to sixteen and then many more, they hardened into spears meant to skewer the giant toad as they sailed towards him. The point of the sword deflected the torrent of hardened spikes before Gamabunta leapt up again.

 **"GOTCHA!"** The raccoon dog gestured and the spikes that had been knocked astride suddenly flew upwards to impale him from below. **"GONNA HAVE ME SOME FROG LEGS!"**

The Boss Toad's cheeks and stomach swelled before they could and he exhaled a waterspout from his mouth downwards. The spiraling water churned the sand, soaking it to the point it couldn't hold itself together and then stirring the resulting silt until it splashed around to cover what remained of the trees surrounding them. The strong, amphibian legs then touched back down onto the muddy ground.

Sasuke was grateful for once he didn't have anything in his stomach to vomit at this point. Every movement the summoning made rattled his bones and made his leg wound ache. But now, as he looked at the devastation around them, he saw what Naruto had meant that there was no place safer.

Sakura groaned softly in his arm and her eyes wearily opened. The constant shaking had roused her from the depths unconsciousness. _"Sas…uke? Where are…."_ She trailed off as her head lolled forward onto him and she passed out again.

The Uchiha swore under his breath as the bleeding seemed to renew from her head wound and then looked up to Naruto, who was still covered in a visible layer of chakra that wafted from him like a bloody vapor. "If this keeps up she'll lose too much blood!"

Naruto's fist clenched. He could understand that, but the solution wasn't forthcoming. "Boss Toad, do you have any idea how to deal with this now?"

 **"We need to get to the host,"** Gamabunta said as he hopped out of the way when a vibrating tendril of sand lashed out at him, intent on grating and grinding into his flesh. Another salvo of water leapt from his mouth and broke it apart. The column of liquid then speared towards the main body, only to be blocked as sand condensed into a makeshift shield in front of the tanuki.

 **"I can sense that the host is inside of its head with Natural Energy,"** the giant toad continued. **"He used some kind of technique to end up like that, right?"**

"Yeah. He made a hand-seal, passed out, and then turned into that."

 **"I can force him out, but it'll take everything I've got to keep him pinned down after."** Sasuke's Sharingan picked up the chakra bleeding out of the summoned toad and saturating the air, melding with the existing water vapor. **"Once he's out in the open, you need to knock him out properly and separate them."**

"Okay!" Naruto shifted his stance and then re-anchored himself. "Do it!"

 **"Water Style: Storm Upheaval!"** Gamabunta slammed his webbed hands onto the ground and then transmuted all the chakra that bled out into water that crashed down over the giant tanuki. The water washed away the outer layer of sand covering it while soaking the rest, making it darken and grow soggy.

Sasuke understood why he had done so as Gaara of the Desert emerged once the downpour stopped, sticking out of its forehead and gasping for air. The sand became too dense to control and, for all his power, he was still human and needed to breathe. The host, as the giant toad called it, would have been crushed or suffocated if he hadn't done so.

The powerful legs of the Boss Toad tensed like coiled springs and then fired him forward. His blade pointed ahead to pierce first, the massive weight and momentum shook the ground from the impact as the blade ran it through. They both fell over, with the toad pinning the raccoon dog's arms in place while the sword anchored it to the ground. **"NOW!"**

Sasuke watched as Naruto dislodged himself. He leapt towards Gaara without reservation, throwing himself into his next attack. It seemed like that would be the finishing blow…

Yet, his Sharingan could detect the movement of chakra shifting around, bringing up a patch of dry sand. It would likely reform around Gaara and shape itself into something meant to kill Naruto. That would make everything for naught.

He couldn't let that happen after everything. His body was racked with cuts and injuries, a broken arm and wounded leg sapping his stamina, and his chakra was low from the earlier Chidori and remaining anchored to the giant toad's head. But, just like Naruto, he still had a second source of power to draw from.

Relinquishing to the dark temptation for more power, the Cursed Mark spread over his good arm and flooded him with the foreign chakra while setting his nerves alight. In an instant, he used his functional hand to simultaneously unfurl a Demon Wind Shuriken, use chakra flow to permeate it with lightning chakra, and then fling it so that it curved around as the sand took shape into a thin shell of needles that sought to skewer Naruto using his own momentum against him.

The shuriken swooped in a second before flesh met hardened sand. The lightning covering it spread through the sand saturated with earth-nature chakra and destabilized it. And the force behind the throw, enhanced by the Cursed Mark strengthening his arm, was enough to violently blow away the last line of defense Gaara had.

 **[0-0-0]**

Naruto briefly glanced back to see Sasuke panting after throwing that shuriken, a grimace of pain on his face from the Cursed Mark. He had saved him there, but the price on his body would be steep. It made Naruto grit his teeth as he turned back to Gaara.

He threw his everything into the next attack, rotating while falling to carry more force into the blow. Both of his arms were raised, his fingers interlocked to bring down his hands like a sledgehammer. With a roar, he slammed down against the red bed of hair hard enough that Gaara's entire body wrenched itself free from its perch within the Tailed-Beast.

The massive tanuki groaned as, separated from the unconscious host, its body sloughed and eyes dimmed. It fell apart into pieces of wet sand that threatened to crush both Jinchuuriki as Naruto grabbed the boy from the Hidden Sand while they fell. At least if not for Gamabunta catching and then depositing them on the ground away from it, followed by Sasuke and Sakura.

He fought off the urge to jump when a crash came down behind him not even five seconds later. Cerulean eyes turned to see that there was a large toad there now, a man with big white hair on it. He was joined by several shinobi, many covered in blood that wasn't their own, including Kakashi.

The other shinobi proceeded to deal with Gaara, while the man with white hair began to talk to Gamabunta. Naruto's focus was on the familiar face of his Jounin, who approached the three of them. "Kakashi-sensei, how did you find us?"

"After dealing with the majority of the summonings and Orochimaru's death, most of the surviving Sand and Sound forces retreated." He crouched down and brushed back Sakura's hair to look over her wound. "The constant quakes and noise sent up red flags, and Asuma stumbled across several of our Genin injured and unconscious. He sent a Shadow Clone to inform us of the situation while he retrieved the others and a team of able-bodied shinobi was dispatched. Along the way we stumbled across the other two Sand siblings and they were taken into captivity as well."

"Will Sakura be okay?" Naruto asked as Kakashi picked her up and laid her onto the ground gently, gesturing for two of the other shinobi to come. One crouched down and a soft, pale green light extended from her palms over Sakura, while the other began to look at Sasuke's leg.

"They'll see to her," Kakashi promised, looking around. "Is Pakkun with you?"

Guilt settled into his stomach and Naruto looked down at that. _"I'm sorry,"_ he told his Jounin softly. "One of the attacks left us buried in a bunch of debris. I didn't see him before I had to summon the Gamabunta. If he was on the ground, then he might have been caught in the…."

He trailed off as dirt suddenly upturned and a hole popped up in the ground at the base of his feet. Byakko's mask sprung up from the hole and fell onto the dirt next to it, with Pakkun's head following after it. Both were covered in mud. "Don't count me down for a dirt nap just yet."

"Ah, there you are," Kakashi said nonchalantly as the nin-dog pulled himself out of the ground and shook his body to shake off the excess mud. "What happened?"

Pakkun sat down and pointed to the mask. "Well, being lighter than all of them, I was carried further out with the mask when that attack hit. When I woke up, I saw the giant toad and figured it would be best if I stayed out of the way—you know, being squishable and all. So I dug down as deep and far as I could and waited for the shaking to stop, but some of the water and mud got into my hole."

Naruto sighed in relief… and then felt all the energy drain out of him from the fading adrenaline rush and the fox cutting the flow of chakra. It didn't see any point in giving him anymore now that his survival was guaranteed. Kakashi caught his arm before he fell backwards onto the ground and lowered him gently.

"Get some rest, Naruto," he said. "When you wake up, everything will be over."

He did just that.


	23. Chapter 23

**Another Chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Sarutobi rubbed his eyes with his good hand and fought back a yawn. The Invasion had been culled while he was asleep, and he was now among the other members of the Konoha Council. They were discussing the matters related to it in terms of the aftermath.

His years were being felt after all this time, aches from the battle coursing through his body. Not to mention his arm. They reattached it since the cut was clean, but some of the nerve endings suffered and he couldn't use it as well. All he needed was a cane and eye-wrap, and he'd match his former teammate sitting across from him and gazing at the drafts of the terms of reparation to be sent to Sand.

Danzo Shimura had been removed from the Council after the slaughter of the Uchiha, which had been done without consent, and his special operatives Root program officially disbanded. However, considering what had transpired, Hiruzen allowed him to sit among them once more for this issue and this issue alone.

Of the two attacking forces, the majority had been Sand forces that lied in waiting, and those that had survived and been captured were detained until they could sue for damages and death. The majority of Sound, with no one to vouch for them and being the enemy force of his now-deceased former disciple, had been executed for their trespasses.

"These conditions are too light," Danzo said as he set the papers down. "You are giving them a slap on the wrist after they launched a full-scale invasion upon us. If you show kindness to those who bare kunai at our throats, they'll slit them. We should just annex them as a warning."

"It would be seen as an act that could lead to another Great War," said the Hokage, his voice tired but firm. "It is a balancing act. We topple one village, the others will act. It is best to simply tether them through legal means and work from the shadows in ensuring that they never do such a thing again."

Koharu shifted in her seat. "But unless we take care of the root problem that led to the assault, it will happen again."

That had been due to the Wind Damiyo undercutting them. Sarutobi made a mental note that his time was done as well. Whatever petty grievances he had with the Kazekage and how beneficial his outsourcing of their missions to Leaf had been, he inevitably played a role in the deaths of all here. It would take time to remove him without leaving a trail to the Leaf, but no one would blink an eye if an agent of Sand were to be seen fleeing the scene.

Homura rubbed his aged knuckles in thought, softly ruminating before he spoke. "In all honesty, this could have been avoided on many levels. There were measures that could have been taken. That should have been."

Danzo didn't bother with subtly. "Frankly, the blame for most of this is your oversight, Hiruzen."

The Hokage raised an eyebrow in query but gestured for him to continue. Why allow him in if he wasn't willing to give weight to his words? After all, as long as this meeting remained merely a private one among peers then there was no reason concern himself with appearances to the public, forced to play up that he must be unchallenged in his decisions.

Danzo took the invitation to do just that. "You should have had forces dedicated to identifying threats during the Chuunin Exams, when we were at our most vulnerable. They managed to sneak a clearly unhinged Jinchuuriki into the village. One that displayed murderous tendencies the entire time, right up until it was too late. It is mere fortune that when it did reveal itself the resulting fight took place far outside of the village, or we wouldn't have one left."

The damage done to the forestlands nestled between the village and the border to the Land of Wind, ravaged by the ensuing fight, had been extensive. Entire sections that stood strong over the course of centuries had been uprooted, and chances were there would be a new lake by the end of the year. All of that devastation in less than ten minutes of combat total, and only three or so being with the One-Tailed Tanuki released in full.

It went without saying that tidbit of information would never be released to the general forces unless necessary, only those with clearance. He had no desire to remind people of the events of Naruto's birth. Nor stir anti-Sand resentment to the point of bloodily demanding retribution and risk another Great War.

"More measures could have been taken," Sarutobi admitted. "I was focused on Orochimaru and didn't think that the Kazekage would risk starting a war for a perceived slight. Peace is something every leader should strive for, after all."

"Peace is but a prelude to war," Danzo argued. "It is a time to amass our forces, swell our ranks, and prepare our arms for when conflict inevitably breaks out again. To lose yourself in it and drop your guard is an invitation for this sort of thing to happen. Our overall causalities may have been light, but we still lost good men and women—civilians and shinobi."

"And then there is the matter of the infiltrators," Koharu added. "Leaving aside that Yakushi boy, there is the young Uzumaki girl."

The revelation that Karin Uzumaki had been a plant of Orochimaru had been a troublesome one. Grass had immediately renounced her when approached, and willingly offered minor reparations since she had been assigned to spy on their behalf, even if that turned out to be a cover. Because they had more pressing matters with Sand and Sound, and Orochimaru had killed several of their candidates to infiltrate, the matter was closed when it came to them.

"A Yamanaka is combing her memories while she has been placed in a medically-induced coma to deal with the aftereffects of her Cursed Seal," he said. "She will need to recover before a punishment can be metted out."

"The issue isn't her condition, Hiruzen," Danzo said. "It's the fact that you allowed an agent of Orochimaru to get that close to our Jinchuuriki. You should have subjected her to a deep mental probe before even considering that."

"She showed no signs of being a spy, even while alone," he noted. "No Anbu reported suspicious activity, though it is possible with what we know now that she may have been aware of their presence. Not to mention it was clear that she had no intention of carrying out her assignment."

"Only because she was inexperienced and young, allowing her emotions reach that point so quickly that it compromised her judgment," Koharu pointed out. "Had Orochimaru trained her towards shutting off her heart for the sake of the mission, I have no doubt that she could have left the village with both the young man and the relics retrieved from that forgotten temple. It was a stroke of luck that we can't count on again."

"We can't let her actions go unanswered," Homura reasoned in agreement. "But executing her may run the risk of causing trauma to the boy, and the last thing we need is another unhinged Jinchuuriki as Sand had. Imprisonment would be best, with a moderate sentence in lieu of her later actions—show enough mercy to prove we are not unforgiving, but punish her enough to show that we don't make light of infiltrators despite their age."

"And let her usefulness rot in a cell?" Danzo drew up into himself, sitting straight. "You garner power by taking away the enemy's assets and making them your own. Her purported talents can be harnessed. I am not saying we should make her a part of our general forces, but letting all of it wither away would just be a waste when we can make it a boon."

"Oh?" Koharu turned her head towards him. "And what do you propose?"

"We can research into her healing ability to find a way to replicate it and save our forces in the midst of combat," Danzo explained calmly as he tapped a finger on the table. "If the talk of her being a natural-born chakra sensor is true, we can use her sensory abilities to track down otherwise difficult targets. And as long as she remains in our custody and is seen being treated adequately, the Jinchuuriki will remain within our grasp for showing her mercy and a fading clan can be retained should we be unable to undo the blood-lock on those masks."

There was logic behind his words. Cold, war-logic, but it was true. Sarutobi would admit that, and he understood how coercive his former disciple could be. It would not be the first time they had taken in one of his former apprentices left abandoned, like Mitarashi.

"There still remains the influence she had on the young Uzumaki," Homura pointed out. "Whether good or bad, he will be in a fragile place at the moment. It would be best if we had a way to make our decision less likely to cause him to have doubt in the village."

"Need I state the obvious?" Danzo asked, with the annoyance in his undertone clear. "Promote him to Chuunin."

"Are you vouching for him?" Koharu asked.

"Competence is a rare thing," he explained. "I appreciate it in both my enemies and my allies. And though Uzumaki, his team, and the other fresh graduates have had only a scant few months of training compared to most Genin, they have proven themselves with their actions that day by subduing multiple enemy forces—and he has proven himself in serving his purpose as a Jinchuuriki by fending off that of an enemy and bringing it back into the Leaf's custody once more."

Homura stroked his chin in thought and then looked between the other two men. "Regardless of what happens in the future, Sand has lost a weapon they can never hope to replace for their hubris in attacking us because of him. And we can justify it at a later date publicly because of his performance in the match. He was the only one to complete it given the circumstances, and in a manner that many cannot argue against even if we keep the events of the Tailed-Beasts private."

"And once he is a Chuunin, we can remove him from the shackles of working on a team and then give him adequate training." Danzo looked the Hokage square in the eyes. "You clearly have higher aspirations for him than most others, so start giving him what he needs to live up to them. Teach him tactics, begin on his elemental training, and broaden his experiences—temper him into a respectable and _loyal_ asset for the Leaf. We couldn't harness the power of a Jinchuuriki in the last wars, but our village will boast unparallel power when the next war inevitably happens if we hold both the One and Nine-Tails."

 _Everything looks like a war waiting to happen to you,_ Sarutobi thought to himself. Was it wrong for him to hope that peace would last forever? Or at least until he could die comfortably in his bed from old age, as so few of his time have done?

Then again, the thought had been on his mind as well and it spared him the need to bring it up out of perceived favoritism. And the timing couldn't have been more perfect either. Itachi had sent a message that he and another agent of Akatsuki were on the way to investigate the current state of the Jinchuuriki in the wake of the Invasion, seeing whether or not either one had been killed and would take time to reconstitute themselves.

He could use it as an excuse to keep Naruto out of their eye by having him depart with Jiraiya to retrieve Tsunade as quickly as possible.

 **[0-0-0]**

Naruto hadn't known what to expect when he received a visit to his doorstep by an Anbu Officer. The mask and figure was the same as the one from when they met the Hokage at Ichiraku's, so he figured that she was telling the truth when she said the Old Man had summoned for him. The document and his seal only confirmed it further.

However, he was not expecting that he would be blindfolded and then carried away using what felt like a prolonged Body Flicker, until he was dumped in a dark room, surrounded by concrete walls that were nondescript. It sent up some red-flags, to say the least. "Umm… where am I?"

"A secure location of which you do not have the clearance to know of," spoke the Anbu. She performed hand-seals too fast for him to see and then pointed to the wall ahead of her, which wavered and turned into a corridor leading to a door. "The Hokage is waiting for you in there."

Naruto took tentative steps forward, more than a little nervous. What could all the secrecy be for? He was careful when he opened the door and peeked inside. The Old Man was there, looking through a glass pane. His shadow seemed deep as the night from the light above his head.

"Come in, Naruto," he said, not looking away from the glass. "We need to talk."

He did so. "You wanted to see…." His words died as he approached the glass and saw what was on the other side. "Karin."

She was lying in a medical bed with life support equipment hooked up. Her body was covered from head-to-toe in Cursed Seal markings. The steady, rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor was the only sound that could be heard, her chest rising and falling quietly.

"We had to put her in a medical coma in order to stop her suffering," the Old Man said. "It's a devious seal that's been placed on her. Even the process of sealing it can threaten her life without proper measures taken."

"But you can help her, right?" he asked.

"I intend to, but there is the matter of what she has done to this point, Naruto." He turned to look Naruto in the eyes. "I had hoped that her presence could give you comfort, only for it to end up like this. That I apologize for."

"She didn't want to," Naruto said. "That snake guy and Kabuto forced her to do it."

"I understand that, but she will have to be judged for her actions when she wakes." He turned back to the glass to look at the girl. "Had we been aware of Kabuto, we could have taken him into custody. That boy proved to be one of the key members of Orochimaru's forces. We could have saved many lives if we had known."

Naruto wanted to say something otherwise, but he wouldn't. He wouldn't because it wouldn't help her when the point had been made already. All he could ask was, "What'll happen to her?"

"The Grass has turned her over to our custody, and I intend to give her a chance to redeem herself." Naruto exhaled in relief at that. "But first we need to handle the fallout from the Invasion. To that end, I have a mission I would like you to undertake."

"Whatever it takes," he said. If it would help, he'd do anything. Karin didn't deserve to be like this after everything. "But my teammates are still recovering from what happened in the forest. Sakura had some short-term memory loss from her head injury, and Sasuke's chakra is messed up at the moment."

"Team 7 is currently dissolved at the moment, Naruto." He handed over a pair of scrolls, one labeled as a sealing scroll and the other a mission. "As of this moment, you have been promoted to Chuunin."

A jolt passed through Naruto at that and he looked up to the man in surprise. "Really?"

The Hokage nodded. "To be blunt, Naruto, no one expected you to do what you did. Fully-trained Jounin aren't expected to go against a fully-emerged Tailed-Beast short of several teams, yet you and a handful of Genin not only overcame several other shinobi, but defeated it without losing a man. That is a fact I recognize."

"I…" He shook his head. "We got lucky. If things had been a little different, we could have lost everything."

"Luck counts at certain times," the Old Man assured him. "And then there's the result of the Chuunin Exams. As we have mentioned, not everyone who wins their match would be promoted. That is because we seek candidates that demonstrate maturity, strategy, focus, and fair play during the match. They need to prove themselves as competent and mature enough to handle the advanced dangers most Chuunin face in the line of duty. You exhibited all of those qualities."

Naruto looked back to his sleeping clanswoman. "That's only because she helped me a lot over that month… her and Sakura. They've helped me during that last battle too."

"Their influence has done you well," he agreed. "That's why you owe it to them to accept your new ranking and handle yourself in a manner befitting a Chuunin. Show that their efforts are not wasted by completing this mission, Naruto."

He felt better hearing that. "Okay."

"Then, to summarize the mission in the scroll, you will accompany a Jounin by the name of Jiraiya to find a woman named Shizune and her associate. During that time, you will be traveling under a Transformation to match the photos and identification inside of the sealing scroll. You have three hours to prepare and meet at the northern gate. The mission is not to be mentioned to anyone else, understand?"

Naruto nodded his head. The wrinkles on the older man's face shifted as his mouth crooked into a soft smile at that.

"Then you may go, Chuunin Naruto Uzumaki," he said. "And feel free to visit the Sealing R&D building to retrieve the rest of the Masked Beasts. They've been cleared for use and their transportation utility can prove useful on the way back, saving you ample time."

"Got it, Old Ma—" he caught himself. This was a serious mission and he was a Chuunin now. "I mean, Hokage sir…."


	24. Chapter 24

**Another Chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

The Sealing R&D building didn't really stand out in the grand scheme of things. It was basically a two-story building that looked so plain that Naruto overlooked it virtually every time he passed it, even during his pranking days. Hiding in plain sight at its finest, he supposed.

Naruto really didn't know what to expect going inside of it. But he certainly wasn't expecting be caught in a rib-crushing hug. Much less by a tall woman with glasses and a scientist coat, her hair put up in a ponytail and her skin slightly tanned.

 _"Umm… this is weird,"_ Naruto said, his head nestled within her bosom and his voice muffled. _"I don't think we've met, have we?"_

"Haha… I guess we haven't." The woman finally set him down, allowing him to breathe again, and then crouched down so that she was on eye-level with him. "My name is Narue Tsuda, I'm the head of the research team handling the masks left behind by your ancestors. It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Uzumaki-kun."

"Oh." He scratched the back of his neck, a slight blush on his cheeks. She had been… _soft_. "So I guess you're happy about that, huh?"

Giddy was a more accurate word, judging by how brightly she smiled. "It's a really great project, and I was so lucky that the Hokage chose me for it. It's not every day someone gets to breakdown some of the oldest seals found right in our own village—the ciphers and the layers could take an entire lifetime to unravel."

 _Well, as long as she's happy,_ Naruto thought. He wasn't sure what about that made her so enthusiastic. Seals were useful, but a lifetime to work out how a bunch of lines on paper did the things they did wasn't his specialty. "The Hokage told me I could reclaim the rest of the Beasts."

"Genbu, Kinja, and Seiryuu." She rose to her full height, towering over Naruto again. "Follow me. I want to show you something first."

He followed her through a sealed door and into a section of the building that was colder than you'd expect. It was a long corridor linked to different rooms, walked by a number of other people who wore similar coats and had badges pinned to their chests. They entered into one room that was separated by a glass panel from another, which had the masks within them.

"Now, Uzumaki-kun, tell me what you know about the Sealing Arts?" she asked as she sat down at a computer.

"Mostly that if you write them down properly and put chakra into them, they do things like create a storage space, barriers, or explosions."

"That's true at their basic level, but they can do _soooo_ much more than that." Narue brought the masks up on the computer screen, showing a smattering of different seals that looked like a jumbled mess. "For example, your ancestors managed to apply several seals that aren't visible to the naked eye off-hand to the back of the masks, which we're only able to observe now thanks to the advances in technology—note that this was around 100 years ago."

When she hit a key, the masks peeled off on the screen like an onion. This revealed that the smattering of seals made more sense in eight layers, when they weren't overlaying one another. The view then sorted them into two rows, with the top-right layer being the seals that he saw on the back that he was supposed to place his blood on.

"See?" Narue pointed to them. "From what we can gather, the application of blood to prove legacy and insertion of chakra unlocks the functions of the lower ones and activates them like a set of programs. The reason that they possess sapience is likely because of these lower layers, acting as memory partitions and storing information to be used at a later date. And eight layers is just the total number we found on the Divine Beasts, while the Priests and Priestess have over _thirty_ at an estimate, and we're still working in determining many the others have."

"So that's why they remember us?" He crossed his arms in thought. "And they'd likely remember those that came before me and Karin-chan too, back when they were first made."

Her ponytail bobbed as she nodded her head again. "We don't understand more than 5% of the sealing arrays at best because your ancestors used a cipher in their work, without a key or primer left behind. It's a travesty that such work has been left unexplored. And the legacy-seal is vital to its functions, because it's somehow interwoven throughout the layers in a way that would cause a cascading failure if we tried to remove it through normal means, so we can't ask them ourselves. I applaud the safeguards, but things like that make it so that great work is lost throughout history once they're gone."

"Is it really okay if I take them while you're doing this?" he asked.

"We've got the seals on the Divine Beasts all registered on-file," Narue said, rising from her seat. She then went through the door and picked up the remaining Divine Beast masks. "Even if you get them destroyed by accident, we can copy the sealing work now to replace any masks that get damaged beyond use, but they won't retain any of the knowledge the old ones had."

Narue handed them over. "That being said, _be careful_. The masks can be replaced, but you and the other girl are the only two known Uzumaki left. It's bad enough that you're both active shinobi as is."

Naruto frowned. "What's bad about that?"

"Even during times of peace, you can still catch a stray kunai and die," she pointed out, which wasn't exactly wrong. "Despite not having any real knowledge of your clan's culture and history, if something happens to you both then your clan dies entirely with you—whether it's on the battlefield or due to something like an accident or illness… unless we lock you up and have you breed like a bunch of rabbits."

"…I don't think we're old enough to have kids," Naruto pointed out cautiously.

"Just throwing it out there.…" She sighed. "Well, I won't keep you longer. But when you get a chance, come back and visit. We can use your help in communicating with them. That way we can learn more about them and your culture all at once."

"I'll keep it in mind."

 **[0-0-0]**

Jiraiya leaned against a tree, beneath the shade, as he waited for Naruto to arrive. There was tension lining his frame as he ruminated in silence over what he had learned post-Invasion. The Old Man had intended to make him the next Hokage, explaining that was part of the reason he had him be so visible during the conflict—reminding everyone that the Toad Sage was still there and loyal.

Even though he wasn't a fan of the idea, he had to admit that he had the best chance in terms of prospects. The only real issue that could be made against Jiraiya personally would be his writing and peeping habits, things which he had shown he could push aside depending on circumstances. While he wasn't as well-known among the younger generation, the older generation that made up the bulk of the more experienced and higher-ranks of the shinobi population did know of him—if not personally, then by his deeds.

Tsunade wasn't qualified at the moment, due to a number of issues. Her reputation in terms of gambling alone was detrimental. And, if she had gone years without healing anyone, then chances were that her skills had began degrading.

Kakashi was another option. He had loyal service for around two decades to the Leaf, an impressive track-record, and the respect of most of his peers. While his habit of being late was something widely-spread, it never applied in the case of urgent missions. The only real issue was that he was too young, and didn't have that much experience in working with the younger generation as a Jounin-leader—though Naruto and Sasuke's performance spoke highly of him in that aspect.

Danzo… he really wasn't an ideal option during times of peace. Leaving aside his known feats and accomplishments while active in service, he _earned_ the reputation of being a war-hawk. There would be a lot of internal and external issues if he was allowed to take the Hat.

That didn't change the fact that Jiraiya didn't want the Hat. Not unless it was absolutely necessary. But he couldn't make that argument while the Old Man was still on the mend. It could wait until after they retrieved Tsunade and Shizune.

His information network had her pegged as entering a casino in Tanzaku not too long ago, accompanied by a young woman with dark-hair and a small pig keeping them company. It was a fair distance from the Leaf, but they should be able to get there in ample time with Naruto's masks.

Thinking of Naruto, Jiraiya stood up straight off the tree as a black-haired boy passed through the gate. The Transformation matched that of the photo just about perfectly. Good. That would make things harder for Akatsuki if they came searching for him, according to the Old Man anyway. That was another can of worms they'd have to deal with later on.

"You're the guy who came in on a toad in the woods," Naruto said as he approached, dressed in a tanned tunic and beige pants while in disguise. It seems like he took the note about a change in clothes seriously. "I didn't know that there was another Toad Summoner active besides Gama."

 _Right, he didn't know about the disguise,_ Jiraiya thought as he rubbed his chin. There… really wasn't a point in hiding it anymore, was there? Not now, anyway.

"That was actually me in disguise." He performed the Transformation technique on himself to become 'Gama' again. Naruto leaned his head back in surprise until Jiraiya dropped the disguise again. "Anything you said while I was like that, I know already. You won't be breaking confidentiality."

"Okay, but why'd you hide who you really were?" Naruto asked.

"Because we had to keep things a secret," he said. "If Orochimaru knew that I was around, he wouldn't have likely came out of hiding, and chances are he would have changed his plans in a way that would have caused even more deaths and losses. If the Old Man died because of that, I can't say that things would be as neat as they are without the Hokage, and Karin-chan likely wouldn't be receiving as decent treatment as she is if someone didn't vouch for her."

"I guess you have a point…" Naruto looked down at that, rubbing the back of his head. "So, if you were Gama and were there all those times…."

Jiraiya picked up where he was going. "Yeah, I know how much she means to you. And, to be honest, she reminds me a little of Kushina. She isn't as much of a spitfire as your mother was growing up, but they have the same smile."

 _And both would go to insane lengths to protect you,_ he thought to himself. The Toad Sage understood the scope of things as they were now about her. While it was a shame that Orochimaru had gotten his hooks into her in the first place, there was still a chance to save her before he twisted her into someone who couldn't be saved like him. Her actions that day proved that much to him, even if things surrounding her would be a little rough until they settled in the future.

Naruto perked up at that. "You really did know my Mother too?"

"And your Father," he added. "I can't tell you about him under the Old Man's orders, for now anyway. It'll likely be a distraction for the mission. But sometime after that we'll sit down and have a talk about it, okay?"

He nodded enthusiastically.

"Then, getting formal introductions out of the way, I'm Jiraiya," he announced. "I'm the former pupil of the Third Hokage, Toad Sage, one of the three Sannin, and the Sealing Expert in charge of the seal your mother left you. I'm usually outside of the village to handle information gathering, but I've popped in a few times to observe you and make sure that the Nine-Tailed Fox didn't have a detrimental effect on your mental health over time—like what happened to that boy from Sand."

"Is… he doing okay?" Naruto asked abruptly. "There's been no mention of him since that fight."

Jiraiya supposed it made sense for Naruto to be concerned about the treatment of a fellow Jinchuuriki, even if he had been trying to kill them not too long ago. After they had swooped in and sealed his sand away, storing it in a security scroll and placing it in a secure location far away from where the boy currently was, Jiraiya had to place a number of overlaying seals just to make up for the lack of mental safeguards in the boy's seal. While Kushina worked with Minato to perfect Naruto's seal to a high-degree, and left a key for him to use if there was a need for it, Gaara of the Desert's seal lacked any arrays meant to effectively filter the Tailed-Beast's influence, allowing it to attack his mind to the extent of nearly driving him insane.

If anything, the overlays would hopefully make him more compliant as a sort of carrot and stick approach to keep him on his best behavior. Whether or not he would regain mental stability without its influence was another question. They really couldn't risk letting someone go inside of his head with the beast within him having as much free reign as it did, but considering what they found out about his past from his sister's mind… he'll probably be better off in the Leaf's custody than in his own village.

"He's alive and on the mend," Jiraiya eventually told him. "Maybe when he's in his right mind again, he might be able to enjoy a normal life when things settle down. He probably wouldn't even have that option if you and your friends didn't stop him when you did. Between that, and the fact that you're a Chuunin now, you've done well for yourself in a very short time. Your parents would be proud."

Naruto grinned brightly at that, scratching his cheek nervously. Then, after a moment, he cleared his throat. "So, I went over the mission documents. We're supposed to retrieve two women for the Old Man right?"

Jiraiya nodded. "They're both Leaf shinobi who have been out of action for some time now. With the Invasion over, we're working on pulling in assets from all over the different nations that aren't active to handle some of the workload. They're both extremely skilled in medical techniques, but we'll have to travel far and fast to get to them before they leave the last place they've been spotted."

"If they can help the injured people and Karin-chan too, then we should hurry," Naruto said, pulling out the bird mask. "Suzaku's recovered from that day and should be able to carry us far enough if I don't need to do any fighting."

A shrill cry was loosed as the vermillion and gold adorned bird came into existence once more. Jiraiya mounted it with his young charge at the helm, and they took flight through the air towards where his information network last spotted the two. He wasn't expecting trouble, minus some resistance from Tsunade, but they would be able manage if it did crop up.

 **[0-0-0]**

Kabuto stood over the prone form of his master's so-called elites, adjusting his glasses as he observed their efficiently battered and broken bodies. The Sound Four, as they were to be known, had to be punished for both their failure to keep Lord Orochimaru safe and their musings on fleeing the ranks of Sound.

Thus it fell on him to do so, now that he'd recovered from the corrosive influence of Naruto's Nine-Tailed chakra. He had been careful not to do anything lethal, if only because they were still useful. But their blood painted the hard-floor beneath his sandals to the extent that sanitizing it would be a necessity after he had finished up. "Now, have you all calmed yourselves down?"

" _Ngh…_ " Tayuya struggled to look up at him from the floor, the tendons her legs severed in a way that he could later put back into place. Her flute lay abandoned on the ground, in the opposite direction. "What's the damn point in sticking around when his soul burned to ashes? He's beyond dead and gone."

"While this wouldn't be an issue had you been more attentive in your duties, Lord Orochimaru did have a back-up plan should the Invasion end in such a sorry state," Kabuto told her, and by extension the rest of them. "As his Right-Hand, it falls on me to fulfill this task, but I can't have my efforts hindered by all of the infighting around the Land of Sound, thanks to the rumors of his demise being so widespread."

That was the unfortunate problem when you gathered your forces by sheer power and charisma. The moment that you were weak or disposed of, the foundation you built your power upon fragmented and collapsed in on itself. Now the Land of Sound had several different factions, all once under Lord Orochimaru's banner, starting to turn upon one another using resources and assets that weren't theirs.

That just wouldn't do. "As you can imagine, Lord Orochimaru will be displeased when he returns to find things in such disarray. To that end, I'm tasking you four with corralling these rogue elements while I focus on his return. Succeed and your failure may be overlooked."

"And if we fail, you'll kill us," Kidomaru guessed. "That about right?"

"Oh no, killing you would be a waste of research materials." He smirked. "I'll dispatch Kimimaro to bring you to me alive. You'll wish for death soon enough afterwards, I promise."

They stiffened upon hearing that. It was true that Kimimaro may not be in the best of health, but he was the loyalist and strongest agent of Orochimaru next to Kabuto himself at present. And he'd be more than willing to drag them back… minus arms and legs.

"So, I take it you know what you'll cooperate without the need for further convincing?"

They agreed wisely.


	25. Chapter 25

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Itachi walked through the woodlands, closing in on the Hidden Leaf, with his partner in tow. The orders from Pain had come in to find out the status of the Jinchuuriki in the wake of the failed Invasion. There had been no sign of the One-Tailed Raccoon Dog's container since then, at least not from the stray Sand shinobi they questioned not too long ago.

To that end, he and Kisame had been chosen to carry out the mission, due to his knowledge of the terrain and abilities being better suited to investigation. That was for the best. He knew of the patrol route and could avoid any unnecessary encounters that would alarm the general shinobi population.

He glanced under the brim of his hat to his partner. It had been some time since Kisame had the chance to exercise his more… _violent_ tendencies, so he was itchy to act upon them. The rogue Uchiha hoped that he could control him, but he was still far more manageable than most of the others in the organization.

As they grew closer to the wall bordering the village, Itachi stopped and made a set of hand-seals. The earth opened up like a parting maw as chakra shifted the dirt beneath it to create a path for them to take, under the ground and into the Leaf. While the detection system acted as a sphere rather than a dome, and would pick it up if anyone else tried, he could get by it without any trouble and avoid alarming anyone.

Once they'd cleared the underground path and created an opening in an out-of-the-way spot, Itachi used a genjutsu to cover it up. Then he and Kisame layered a Transformation upon themselves, leaving his living blade wrapped in cloth, to appear as a pair of laborers. There were plenty going around with all of the rebuilding going on from the damage done by the giant summonings rampaging around.

The ground was cracked with fissures running up and down from deep depressions. Buildings as far as they eye could see were in the process of being rebuilt, men walking around in tanned and plain clothes while carrying supplies and building materials. It was somewhat disheartening to see his old home in such a state, but the circumstances could have been far, far worse.

"So how we doing this?" Kisame asked. His chosen Transformation had left his skin pale in tone with black hair that spiked upwards. "We find some ANBU and make them talk? That's always fun."

"But not necessary," Itachi said as he activated his Sharingan behind the cover of his Transformation, making it seem as though he was looking through a tinted lens. "I remember several of the identities of those among their rank from my time on active duty. Given the scope of what has happened, all of them will likely have the answers we're looking for. I just need to make eye contact and I can get the information without needing to shed blood."

The truth was a bit more complicated than that. The Hokage had a plant, so to speak. With the aid of a Yamanaka, they could be made to hold information to be given to him and, by extension, Pain. This allowed them to control what information got leaked to Akatsuki.

" _Pheh_. That's boring," Kisame whined.

But he followed behind him as they walked through the streets until Itachi spotted the plant agent, an off-duty man sitting in a food vendor while eating alone. They entered and placed an order, with Itachi using his Sharingan to make the chef tune-out and ignore the three of them after placing their order while he enthralled the man to have him spill classified information.

Kisame listened impassively, while savoring his takoyaki made of imported octopi, as the pair spoke in a muted tone. The man revealed the One-Tailed Jinchuuriki had been captured after its defeat by the Nine-Tailed Jinchuuriki, placed in a private facility under heavy guard, and there were no plans to execute him at the moment. As far as Kisame would know, it was all the man had to offer as he had seen Itachi do the same thing numerous times.

Once Itachi finished retrieving the information, he planted a suggestion for the man to depart in a hurry. This left the two alone to eat in peace as they contemplated what action to take next with the information.

"Any idea which place they're holding him?" his partner asked.

Itachi nodded his head slightly. "I can think of a few locations. But we'd never be able to infiltrate them without causing a pandemonium. In a best case scenario, they'd move him while we were bogged down fighting. For now, we should simply take the information we have and get it to Pain as quickly as possible."

Any further conversation died when two Jounin walked in that he recognized: Kurenai Yuuhi and Asuma Sarutobi. It seemed like they were meeting alone as they took a seat next to one another at the stall and placed their own orders.

 _This could prove troublesome,_ Itachi thought to himself as Kisame spared them the occasional glance to size them up. The chef was still under a command to ignore Kisame and Itachi, which the woman was likely to notice in enough time given her reputation. Any effort on his part to change that would probably alert them faster.

And then, to make his life more complicated, Kakashi Hatake walked in and took a seat next to them. From the conversation that sprung up, it seemed like he was thanking the woman for her efforts in tutoring his student before the exams. When she inquired about the girl's health, he said she doesn't remember much of that day from head trauma, but Sasuke was filling her in on the details and would actually be meeting him there to discuss a training regimen.

That gave Itachi a minor compulsion to want to stay and listen in on his little brother's progress and growth. While he personally approved of allowing Kakashi to be Sasuke's teacher, he still couldn't help but wonder how his growth was going beyond the occasional reports from the Hokage. But no, they needed to leave while they could.

"Let's get back to work," he said, standing from his seat. The act grabbed the three Leaf shinobi's attention for a moment, but they seemingly brushed it off as the second laborer shoved the rest of his takoyaki on a stick into his mouth and then followed him out.

No sooner than they were halfway back to the opening he created did the world around them swirl. They soon found themselves bound by thick tree roots the size of Anacondas. Itachi only let loose a soft sigh.

"Busted, huh?" Kisame chuckled as he glanced over to Itachi, ignoring the woman appearing from the tree roots with a kunai in her hand. "So much for that plan, eh?"

Itachi said nothing as he dispelled the illusion placed upon them. The moment it vanished, they found themselves surrounded on three sides by Kakashi, Kurenai, and Asuma. So much for getting in and out without a fight now, he supposed.

"So what gave us away?" Kisame asked as he rubbed his nose while still under the Transformation technique. A grin stretched across his face as he did so.

Asuma spat out his cigarette and crushed it beneath his combat sandals as he reached for his weapons. "Next to the Chuunin Exams, a reconstruction period is when a village is most vulnerable to infiltration, since there's an influx of supplies and outside hands to deal with the repairs. Yet, for laborers, your hands are remarkably un-calloused."

"Not to mention most have the same break period and don't leave the food vendors outside their work area. But the tools on your belts are better suited for stonework and masonry. That group has already had their break hours ago, and woodworking is being done around this area," Kurenai noted. "The fact that you placed a Genjutsu on the chef to ignore your presence was something I couldn't help but notice as you left as well."

"And breaking out of that Genjutsu so easily all-but confirms it," Kakashi finished, rounding out the three. "I've already sent for ANBU with a Shadow Clone, so how about you drop the disguises and surrender peacefully. Hm?"

 _Damn their perceptiveness,_ Itachi thought as he went ahead and dropped his Transformation. He hated the thought of having to cripple the Leaf's forces further after the Invasion, but he had to keep his cover in the organization intact. That meant dealing with this _efficiently_.

"Let's not waste time then, Kisame."

 **[0-0-0]**

Shizune hummed softly as she watched Tonton nibble on her lunch. It was midday and her mistress had gotten herself drunk as usual the night before. There was no doubt that once her deep slumber ended when evening came around, she would likely be in need of something for her hangover.

Looking at Tonton left her deep in thought. How long had she been away from the Leaf now, keeping an eye on the woman that her uncle had fallen for? How long had the strong Sannin that she had followed out on her sabbatical been wandering around aimlessly to forget the pain of her past and losses?

Her musings were interrupted when Tonton suddenly lifted her head and wiggled her snout towards the door. Someone was coming then. While Shizune was wishing that it was just someone passing by, she didn't have high hopes of that. Several experiences in the past, dealing with those who her Lady had some outstanding debts with and came to collect, had taught her better over the years.

"Is it another debt collector?" she asked.

Tonton shook her head. "Buhi. Buhi!"

 _Not one of the ones they'd met so far,_ Shizune translated. "Do you smell anything else familiar about them?"

A nod this time. "Bu-buhi!"

"A toad?" That brought to mind the missive that they received some time back from the Leaf. While she had only met Lord Jiraiya a few times, she knew that he definitely had that scent on him a great deal of the time. Her Lady had made jokes about it sometimes while inebriated.

It was likely him and, as she was affiliated with the Leaf, she should hear him out. Not to mention that if he was coming personally then they probably wanted them to return to the village. But her Lady wouldn't likely be willing to deal with him so soon. In fact, she'd been very vocal about what to do if someone from the Leaf came while she was out cold.

Either drive them off or run away—even if she had to cart her off in a drunken stupor. Since she couldn't drive off someone of his level, nor wanted to risk it and offend him, she opted for the latter option.

Shizune opened the window to get ready to do just that when she found the Toad Sage there already. He was sitting cross-legged on the wall, defying gravity with a smile on his face. There was no scent coming off of him.

"It's not nice to try and run, Shizune-chan," he said calmly.

"Jiraiya-sama…" She backed away a few steps as he climbed inside of the room. "If you're here, then who is it that Tonton smelled?"

No sooner than she asked did a storage tag slip under the door and then released its contents. A blonde boy popped out and looked around the room until he saw the Toad Sage and then opened it. There was a black-haired boy with a toad on his head waiting, who stepped inside as the blonde one vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Told you it'd work," he said to the older shinobi as he picked up the tag. "Pay up!"

"Yeah, yeah, just get back to the room and start working on those balloons," said the Toad Sage as he closed the window. The boy grumbled under his breath and then left out. Lord Jiraiya then turned back to her. "It's been awhile since I've seen you, Shizune-chan. You've gotten bigger."

She inclined her head low at the man, having been caught trying to run away. It was technically an act of treason. "I'm sorry. I'll accept whatever punishment you want to give me."

"I expected Princess would have given you instructions to fly the coop if I came sniffing around, and the Old Man hasn't made it an _official_ request yet, so there's no harm done." He looked over to Tsunade's inelegant sleeping form. "How's she doing?"

"…About the same as the last time we met," she admitted. The death of her uncle and her Lady's brother had rendered the woman on a self-destructive path, slow-suicide in all but name. By going with her and caring for her, Shizune hoped that she could at least slow her degradation to an extent.

He must've understood that too, because he set a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Thanks for looking after the Princess all of this time for us. It couldn't have been easy, and you shouldn't have had to spend so many years of your childhood doing so alone."

 _"It hasn't been a burden,"_ she told him in a voice that was soft, yet honest. "There's nothing I would have rather been doing and I've learned a lot, so it hasn't been a waste. I just…"

She just wanted to see to it that her Lady returned to how she was before. Shizune just wanted to see her happy again, like Tsunade had been when her uncle was around. If keeping her company meant that she could see her smiling again and happy, then the years spent wouldn't matter—whether it was another year from now or ten.

"Me too, Shizune-chan," the Toad Sage said as he took a seat near where she had been. "Me and the Old Man want nothing more than that after everything's been said and done these last few weeks. That's why I'm here now."

 _So they have come to bring us back,_ she figured. "Can it wait until she wakes up? She's had a long day."

"Sure," he said. "I'll fill you in on what's been happening in the village until now, while we wait."

 **[0-0-0]**

"Well, that turned out more fun than I thought," Kisame said with his trademark grin as they stood within the confines of an alley. They were in a nearby town, having escaped the village and the pursuing Anbu Officers…well, not so much escape as Kisame had all-but sheared through enough of their numbers that they called the chase off after they were a good distance from the village.

He'd also nearly disemboweled the Hokage's son before Might Guy had shown up, but the man had been lucky all the things considered. He could at least be brought back into fighting form with a short period of recovery and minor skin grafting. As for Kakashi and Kurenai, Itachi did say they were pressed for time. Hopefully a few Yamanaka and medic-nin could deal with the mental trauma of his Tsukuyomi being forced upon them.

If not then they were just unfortunate casualties and it was an unfortunate means to an end.

"We shouldn't linger," Itachi said. "Even if they've withdrawn to tend to their wounded and dead, it'll be a matter of time before they send someone more specialized to pursue us."

They were getting ready to press onwards when they heard someone stop at the mouth of the alley they were in. Itachi had gone out of his way to hastily layer it with an external genjutsu, to give it the illusion of being empty while they readied new Transformation disguises. Such a thing was easily peered through by the pair of crimson eyes that stared straight at him.

"It's been a long time, Sasuke," Itachi said, devoid of all emotion as he stared at his brother. He'd gotten much bigger since the time he spent chasing after him when they were younger.

 **"Itachi!"** Sasuke hissed, the word dripping with venom as it left his mouth.

"The Sharingan…" Kisame seemed slightly intrigued as he turned back to Itachi. "I thought you'd killed off your entire clan."

"He wasn't worth mentioning or killing," Itachi said to that. The cold words only served to stir his brother's anger further until his left hand became alight with blue lightning that chirped like a thousand angry birds, drawing even more attention. "So he taught him the Chidori."

His naïve little brother rushed straight ahead to impale him with it. **"DIE!"**

Itachi felt immensely disappointed. As if something so blatant would work on anyone of his skill-level. He caught the assailing hand at the wrist and then drove his knee into Sasuke's abdomen hard enough to knock the breath out of him.

The effect was twofold in the end. It forced Sasuke to drop the technique, unable to concentrate from the sudden pain spiking through him. And it dropped him to his knees while his wrist was still in Itachi's grasp, on the verge of vomiting.

Itachi then hefted him into the air by his wrist. If he was this weak yet brash enough to leave the village to chase after him, then it was only a matter of time before Sasuke got himself killed. "If this is the extent of your power after this long, your hatred hasn't tempered you enough. Perhaps you need a reminder of that day?"

Itachi's Sharingan morphed into its kaleidoscopic form and true fear entered Sasuke's eyes. He knew what was coming and nothing could stop it. The brief scream for him not do it again died as Sasuke's mind was subjected to 24 hour within his Tsukuyomi and his body went limp.

Seeing his eyes were half-lidded and the crimson hue of his Sharingan had faded, Itachi dropped him like that. Sasuke had his headband, so when someone saw him they'd notify the proper authorities and see him back into the Leaf's care. The rogue Uchiha then turned back to his partner. "Let's go, Kisame."

"You just gonna leave him like this?" he asked. "It'd be better to kill him now, before he gets in the way again."

"I need him alive," Itachi said. "You've noticed my eyesight deteriorating."

He did. "I wasn't going to say anything if you weren't."

"His hatred of me will eventually drive him to become stronger, and to do so he will need to create bonds with his teammates—such is the nature of the Hidden Leaf's method of training, the fostering of cooperation. When those bonds mature, I'll return to sever them and make him watch. The grief of loss will cause his eyes will flourish up to the point they reach the same level of my own, at which point I will claim them for myself and become able to see once more."

"Damn, that's cold," Kisame said with a note of mirth in his voice as Itachi walked past him, towards the mouth of the alley. "I'd just kill someone if I needed to, but you want him to get stronger through grief just so you can crush him and take his eyes out their sockets? Honestly, I kinda feel bad for the kid."

Neither one was aware that, clinging to the fringes of his consciousness, Sasuke heard every word of what his brother said….


	26. Chapter 26

**Another Chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

"You have my sincerest apologies that I could not be there to protect you," Rock Lee told Sakura as they sat outside the hospital. It had been an obvious target during the attack, so they had ANBU dedicated to protecting it. However, one Sound shinobi had slipped through the net while the Toads dealt with the Snakes that sought it out.

Lee had gotten himself involved, worsening his injuries in the process. It left him confined to a wheelchair and with his arm in a cast. The medics had been clear that doing that one more time would leave them both permanently disabled—he'd likely never use them again for ordinary life, let along being a shinobi.

"It's fine, Lee," Sakura said, peeling an apple for him. "It happened so suddenly that no one was prepared. Besides, apparently I took care of myself this time."

In truth, she didn't remember much of what happened that day after the Invasion had started, because of the hit to her head. Naruto had regaled her with how great a job she did, while Sasuke personally told her she was useful after they'd healed his physical injuries and told him to take it easy, until his chakra system corrected itself. That was as high of a compliment she was going to get from him, given his personality.

Lee's eyes drifted down to his arm and wheelchair. "Even so, I hate that I was not able to participate more. It is a feeling that troubles me like no other, knowing that others are doing everything they can while I…."

 _Can do nothing,_ she finished for him in her thoughts. She didn't dare say it out loud because there was nothing more painful that having someone else pointing that out to them. Being told how useless she was by that kunoichi during the Forest of Death, after Lee and the others got hurt defending her, had been the moment she decided to take steps to rectify that.

But Lee didn't have that option. His injuries meant that even work in the reserves was unlikely. The Lee Clan wasn't very big, but the majority of the men had some role in the shinobi forces. He was likely the first one born with his inability to shape chakra properly and struggled so hard to make it as far as he had, only for him to be nearly-crippled. That probably made Lee feel like even more of a failure.

Sakura could do nothing to help him as things stood. Not even as his dreams were being crushed before her eyes. She couldn't help the others in the Forest of Death before and, while she finally became capable of doing so for them during the Invasion, there was nothing she could do for Lee now. It left her with a bitter feeling in her chest that quickly grew unbearable as she laid the peeled apple and knife down.

"…I'm going to go get something to drink," Sakura said, rising from her seat. "Do you want anything in particular?"

"No thank you," Lee said. His eyes remained downcast as he reached for the apple with his good hand.

Sakura pursed her lips and then walked off. Traversing the hospital corridor, the kunoichi found herself wondering how many were like Lee. How many were so crippled during the Invasion that they could never again fight, after spending years working towards it?

She wondered how badly her teammates would take it if they ended up in such a state, incapable of pursuing their dreams. Naruto would be completely lost without the chance of becoming the Hokage, leaving him gloomy and his goofy smile never to be seen again. Sasuke… well, she couldn't even imagine how badly that would hurt him.

It was a miracle that they managed to come out so well from what she had been told second-hand. The only lasting injury was that she lost her memories of most of that day, and that was a best-case scenario. It could have been so much worse.

That thought was only made more abundant as the medics rushed a gurney down the corridor. She spotted the familiar hair and facial features of the patient being carted off to a room. The words came out in a low, faint-hearted, voice.

 _"Sasuke?"_

 **[0-0-0]**

An unfeminine groan left Tsunade's lips as she stirred awake. The familiar, unwelcomed acquaintance that was a hangover headache immediately made itself known. It pounded at her skull like it was trying to hammer it open, telling her she knew that it was coming when she downed that last bottle.

Her entire body hurt with a throbbing ache that covered every inch. Her tongue and throat were dry, painfully so. She caught the scent of alcohol wafting from her pores and it only served to make her stomach curl from the abuse she put it through the night before.

Even for her, it would take time to treat—purging the toxins, soothing the muscles, reinvigorating her body. And she could only do that once she was able to concentrate again, something that would be immensely easier if her head wasn't trying to crack itself open. She made a low, indecipherable noise that her apprentice should recognize well enough to act on.

Sure enough, a wet and cold glass was pressed against her cheek. She grabbed it and sat up slowly with her eyes closed, finding the rim of the glass with her lips instead. The fizzling liquid within tickled as it went down her throat and she sighed.

Shizune's special blend would work miracles in minutes to get rid of her headache. After that she could deal with her aches and pains. Then they would go get something to eat before hitting the parlors.

"Feel better?" asked a masculine voice. Her blood froze when she recognized it.

Tsunade forced her eyes open, briefly catching his figure and features before they felt like they were going to pop out of her head from a stab of pain. She covered them with one hand and used the other to make sure the bed-sheet covered her body up to her neck. "What happened to Shizune?"

"I sent her off to babysit for a bit since I wanted to have a word with you." Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the weight of his eyes staring at her body as he spoke. "Though, I admit that I did want a chance to see you in person since it's been a few years now. You're still as beautiful as always, Princess."

"Only you would be interested in seeing a woman in this state," she said, with a note of displeasure in her voice. At least the drink was working well enough that her headache was fading fast. "What do you want, Jiraiya?"

"The Old Man sent me after what happened to the last guy who tried to get a message across to you."

"I thought that would make it clear that I didn't want to talk to anyone from the Leaf." She opened her eyes a bit to test if the pain was still there. It was tolerable. "Apparently the message didn't reach."

Jiraiya sighed, rubbing the bridge between his eyes. "Princess, have you really not been keeping up with events there?"

"Why would I?" she asked. "I want nothing to do with the village."

"The Leaf was invaded during the Chuunin Exams by Orochimaru, his village, and Sand," he said in a slightly lower tone, eyes fixed on her in a focused stare. "They even went so far as to bring their Jinchuuriki, who went into a full-on Tailed Beast state."

A single, simple question was her response to that. "How many died?"

"Not as many as it could have been," he said. "I was there with the Old Man. He managed to get the killing blow, but it cost him an arm in exchange. It looked to be a clean cut by Orochimaru's sword, but the reattachment wasn't as good as it could have been. The arm doesn't work as well as before."

"The Snake got that blade from Ryuuchi Cave, didn't he?" She fought off a yawn as the remnants of her headache faded enough to begin sorting out the rest of her body. A pale, thin, green glow swaddled her body as she continued. "A legendary weapon from one of the three sage regions wouldn't stop at simple damage, so you should have had them check down to the microscopic level. There's probably cellular and nervous system damage that should have been sorted out _before_ reattachment."

He drew up into himself, crossing his arms. "We couldn't risk him bleeding out before then. The medics did the best that they could at the time and it saved his life."

Tsunade rolled her eyes and scoffed. "And I'm assuming the village is still standing?"

His long, white hair shifted as he nodded his head. "Luckily, the One-Tailed Raccoon Dog was successfully fought and captured… by a group of really talented Genin."

She gave him a flat look, clearly unamused by the perceived joke.

"It's the truth." His lips curled into a small, proud smile. "I gave Minato's boy the Toad Summoning Contract and he used it to call up Gamabunta when they were in the forest. The resulting battle pretty much leveled the area, but, in the end, he and his friends managed to knock out the host by the time we got there."

"Well, as riveting as that information is, it doesn't explain why you've come for me." The healing glow flared a bit as she looked him in the eyes. "Again, what do you want, Jiraiya?"

"I'm here to bring you back," he said firmly. "Officially, the Old Man is only calling Shizune back, but we both know that he wants you back too and it's only a formality to keep things quiet."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "And if I refuse?"

"Then the next time it's ANBU and myself," he told her bluntly. "After the Invasion, the Old Man can't keep turning a blind-eye to everything you've done and the reputation you've built up. And we all know that if you run, Shizune will go with you because she's given up her youth to see to it that you're not alone. As callous as you are to the thought of going back to the village, I know that you wouldn't turn Dan's niece a trai—"

In a single, swift motion, she moved to cut him off. Strong, slender fingers grabbed him by the collar and then hoisted him in the air, with his back against the wall. "Never…bring him up… again."

Undeterred from her glare and posture, he reached up and wrapped his fingers around her wrists. The touch was surprisingly gentle, all things considered. "You can't keep running from the ghosts of your past, Princess. No matter how hard you drink, or how far you go, they'll never stop chasing you. You've had years to figure that out."

"Why now?" Tsunade demanded to know. "You know how much it hurts—both you and him. So why, after all these years, are you dragging me back to the same place that you're running from?"

He frowned. "I'm not running from anything."

"With Sensei injured and my reputation in the toilet, I'm betting you're the last viable candidate for the title of Hokage, right?" she asked. "What excuse are you going to use to run away from it now that Orochimaru is gone?"

Her question was met with a looming silence as neither one spoke. Her arms grew slack and she lowered him down, their eyes locked. "We're the same, Jiraiya. You lost those kids in Ame and your apprentice; I lost my family and the love of my life. You throw yourself into your work to forget about them, and I drink until the pain goes away. So you, of all people, should know what it means for me to go back."

"…The Old Man knows he doesn't have more than a few years left in him, and wants to help you before he takes his final rest," he finally said, after a long pause to gather his thoughts. "And I tried to give you space since I couldn't do or say anything to help you get over it, but now neither of us has an excuse anymore to keep running. It's time to go back home."

Tsunade scoffed. She didn't believe they could help, nor did she want their help after all this time. But she didn't delude herself into thinking that she could elude ANBU forever, especially not when Shizune would follow her and slow her down.

The life of a missing-nin was hard. Taking refuge in another major village would lead to more bloodshed on her shoulders. And the fact that she was afraid of blood would render her worth little-to-nothing as a medic—advice and counsel could only go so far without the ability to demonstrate.

And then there was Jiraiya. He _would_ come after her if she did that to Shizune. He would follow her footsteps with the same relentless zeal he spent hunting down Orochimaru. It wasn't worth it.

"I don't want to be seen in public," she said. "People will have expectations and I don't feel like dealing with them."

"The Old Man expected that. We've got it covered."

"Then get out so I can change," she ordered. When he quirked an eye, she crossed her arms. "If I was going to run, I'd let you stay so I'd have an excuse to deck you into the next town over. Just wait outside until I've had a chance to clean myself up."

 **[0-0-0]**

Naruto grumbled in frustration, eyes squinted as he spun the water inside of the balloon resting between his palms. His frustration only mounted as the balloon simply shifted with the chakra, rather than break. "This is impossible!"

"Umm… Naruto-kun?" called the tall, dark-haired woman that sat across the table from him. So far she had been nice to him, only asking him the occasional question of what living in the village was like since she had been gone for years. In one of her hands was a slice of fruit that she fed to her pet pig, which sat in her lap. "What are you doing?"

"The Toad Guy told me that if I managed to get the water to spin and pop the balloon, I'd learn a technique from the Fourth Hokage," he explained. "But when I make it spin, all it does is just stretch the balloon out like it's trying to become flatter."

"I see." She tapped her chin in thought for a moment. "The water is being used as a medium to help you pop the exterior. But that won't work if you keep doing it like that."

His head snapped up towards her at that. "Why not?"

"Because the flow is too stable." She picked up an empty balloon that had yet to be filled and stretched it. "The exterior of the balloon is flexible to a certain degree, so it can withstand stretching as long as the flow is stable and moves along a set path. You would have to stretch it far beyond the elasticity of the material in order to break it that way."

"But that's not how he did it," Naruto said with a frown. "His got all lumpy and then popped."

"I suppose he might have destabilized the flow of chakra to make it more violent." She reached across the table, pressed a finger to his forehead, and closed her eyes. "The flow of chakra circulating in your body is spinning clock-wise, so you can try to force it rotate counter-clockwise inside the balloon and that should make it less stable."

He nodded his head and then gave it a try. The balloon began to shake again, jostling a bit more unstably and threatening to jump out of his hand. "That's better, but it wasn't enough to pop it."

She extended her hands and cupped the top and bottom of the balloon between her palms. "I'll hold it steady this time. You just focus on spinning it as violently as you can."

He closed his eyes and focused on doing so, injecting his chakra in from both hands holding onto the sides of it. The chakra flowed out and mingled with the water as it churned in place. The faster he rotated it, the more it struggled to remain in her palms and pushed against their hands from multiple points—like a cricket in a cage, bouncing around and trying to get out.

A thought occurred. What if he could make more crickets, more points where his chakra pushed against the balloon it was trapped within? "I think I have an idea, but I need to be able to move my palms around."

Shizune let go and then stood up to walk away with Tonton, taking a seat on the windowsill. "If you're that sure of yourself, then we'll keep our distance. We don't want to get wet."

With them out of the splash-zone, he held the balloon with one hand and began to channel the chakra within it with that hand. Then he brought his palm across the top with the other, moving it at angles while manipulating the chakra within. He made it sharper, transitioning from smooth motions to quick grazes with his palm hover just over the surface as he speared it across.

The still-flowing chakra bent and pulled more violently as he went faster and came from different directions. It was like multiple crickets were bouncing around inside of the stretching sphere, forcing the elasticity in multiple points rather than a set one. He wove it further, forcing his chakra to spin in multiple directions as fast and hard as he could, until the balloon ruptured and splashed water all over his face and table.

"I did it!" he exclaimed, uncaring of the fact that his face was wet and the upper-portion of his shirt was soaked.

"Congratulations," Shizune said with a small applause, causing him to grin. "You might want to towel off though. You'll catch a cold otherwise."

Naruto chuckled for a bit until the door opened. Jiraiya walked in with the woman he saw sleeping on the bed. She looked down at Naruto for a moment longer than a passing glance before she turned her attention to her apprentice.

"Pack your things, Shizune," she ordered. "We're going back to the village."

The dark-haired woman shot up from her perch with the tiny pig. "Really?"

She nodded. "Let's go see the Old Man."


	27. Chapter 27

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his eyes with his good hand, feeling the wrinkles shift along the corners as he sighed. Seven men killed, ten injured, among them his son. Despite all of the precautions he took, it still ended with so many dead just to allow Itachi to keep his cover.

Kakashi, Kurenai, and Asuma would hopefully be able to recover, and he had sent the message for the Anbu Officers pursuing the two Akatsuki members to retreat, which kept the toll down further. But young Sasuke getting word and slipping out of the village to chase after him was unacceptable. No doubt there would be repercussions later on.

As much as he wished he could say that no one was at fault—that every party was doing their duty as a shinobi—it felt so hollow as the lives taken and ruined added to the corpses mounted on his back. They just kept piling up. How soon before they would finally bury him?

He reached for his pipe, a thin string of smoke coming up from the opening. It soothed his frayed nerves as he inhaled deeply. Basking in the tobacco fumes caressing his lungs, he looked out over the village in mid-reconstruction.

Times like these made the hat feel so much heavier than before. Or perhaps the weight was always there and he was only now realizing how heavy it is. His brush with death had left him far feebler than he would want to admit. The chakra that long permeated his frame was slow to replenish itself, his age becoming more evident.

His rumination was interrupted when his aide sent word that Jiraiya had returned with three people in tow. That had been quicker than he expected. He extinguished his pipe and then allowed the group to enter.

"You can drop the Transformations now," he told Naruto and who he presumed was Tsunade after the doors shut. Sure enough, once the brief puff of smoke vanished he had all four of them in front of him. "Welcome back, all of you. I trust there were no complications on your end?"

"Nope, it all went smooth," Naruto said. "Not bad for my first mission as a Chuunin, huh? Shizune-nee even helped me out on practicing the Rasengan! I've almost got it now!"

The Hokage briefly glanced towards Jiraiya while Naruto was rubbing the back of his head and smiling. The slight shake of his head told the older man enough. He didn't know about his father.

And, given the timing, it wouldn't be ideal to tell him either. "As much as I would like to congratulate you on that, I'm afraid there's been a bit of an incident, Naruto." Better to get the bad news out of the way first and from him, rather than let him learn second-hand. "Sasuke Uchiha and Kakashi Hatake have been hospitalized from an attack."

No sooner that the words came out did Naruto's expression shift from elated to shocked and then worried. Just like that he ran out the door to go check on them, leaving the adults to watching his fleeting back before the door closed shut again.

Jiraiya was the first to speak. "Old Man, it wasn't because of why we took him in the first place, was it?"

He nodded and sighed. "An unfortunate turnout that could have been much worse. That can be discussed later." He walked over to the two women. "I have to admit I was worried you wouldn't come willingly. You both look well."

"We sincerely apologize for not responding earlier, Hokage-sama," Shizune said, bowing her head. "If I had known at the time of your last message what would have transpired, I would have tried to convince My Lady to allow me to return to help in whatever way I could earlier."

Tsunade, on the other hand, looked as unremorseful as possible as she stood there with a slight pout. When she felt the weight of his eyes on her, she extended her hands. "Let me see your arm."

He did so and she gently slid back the sleeve to reveal the scar from where it had been reattached. A gentle green chakra coated the arm, sinking into the flesh. Silence permeated the room for a solid minute as her eyes reflected the glow of chakra. Then it dimmed and she exhaled softly as she let him go.

"Like I thought, there's damage on a cellular-level," she said. "They rushed it, but, even with my finer control, it would have gone unnoticed if I didn't know what to look for. Unfortunately, even Shizune can't do anything about it now."

"I consider it the smallest of prices to pay defending my home and correcting my mistakes," he said. "Though it is good to see that your skills in diagnosis haven't diminished after all this time. I trust Jiraiya told you why I wanted you back?"

Her lips pursed and she crossed her arms. "You want to help me, or something like that. Right?"

"Call it righting past wrongs, if you must," he said as he made his way back over to his seat. "You should not have been left alone with your grief for as long as you had been. There's so much that you could have done over the years that were hampered because I didn't make more of an effort, so I wish to correct that with the time I have left."

"I don't want it to be public knowledge that I'm here," she said.

"That's fine for now." He'd already made arrangements with that in mind. "It'll take time, but everyone will be better for it. But first, I need to ask if there's another matter you and Shizune can help me with…."

 **[0-0-0]**

 _Stupid, I'm so stupid,_ Naruto thought to himself as he bound over the rooftops. He had been so elated at completing his first mission as a Chuunin and nearly getting the Rasengan down. Yet, while he was doing that someone hurt his teammate and Sensei.

Who was it? That question lingered in the back of his mind as he moved faster. Sasuke wasn't weak. They'd worked together to take down Gaara, who they knew wasn't a pushover. And Kakashi definitely could handle himself, he'd seen that. So who was it that could have done this to both of them?

 **"Boss!"** Naruto paused when he heard the familiar voice from down on the street. It was Konohamaru and his little friends. There were bright smiles on their face as they waved towards him with both hands.

 **"I'll play with you later, Konohamaru!"** Naruto yelled. **"I need to get to the hospital!"**

He looked a bit upset, which made sense since Naruto hadn't been around with him a lot between training and the mission. But Naruto was in a hurry. He would make time for the kid later on.

Naruto also knew that there was paperwork and a debriefing that needed to be done post-mission, but his body moved on its own. So much for trying to be a professional after becoming a Chuunin. He hoped that the Old Man wouldn't be pissed about that.

When he reached the hospital, he went up to the desk and asked what rooms they were in. The person manning the station checked the list to see he was one of the allowed visitors, probably because he was in the team, and then gave him the two room addresses. Naruto decided to visit Sasuke's first since he was closer.

Sakura was there, sitting in front of the window as a breeze blew through the room. Her reddened-eyes shifted from Sasuke, who was lying still beneath the sheets with a slight frown on his face, towards him. They briefly widened in surprise before she began to move.

The sight still made his stomach fall. Naruto entered the room and shut the door. "Sakura, I'm so—"

He didn't get the words out. Not before Sakura circled around the bed and embraced him in a hug. It took a second before he registered her body was shaking too.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

 _"…You weren't here,"_ she said softly, between sniffling fits. _"No matter how hard I looked, I couldn't find you. No one knew where you were, and I thought something bad happened to you too."_

Naruto brought his arms to the small of her back to return her embrace. He carefully chose his next words as he remembered the nature of the mission. "I was out with one of the other Jounin for an assignment. I can't tell you anymore than that. I want to, but it's the Old Man's orders."

Sakura was slow to pull away and wipe her tears with her thumbs. Teammates or not, she knew that if he really was ordered to keep silent on it then it wouldn't be right to push that any further. "But you're okay, right?"

"I'm fine," he said.

"Good." She turned back to Sasuke. "Because I'm tired of watching the people I care about keep getting hurt, Naruto. Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei, and Kurenai-sensei ended up like this about two days ago, and Ino mentioned that Asuma-sensei got hurt too."

That was unnerving. He imagined that Kiba was ready to go hunting for blood and only a lack of information was holding Shino back. And while he didn't know Asuma all that well, he was still the Old Man and Konohamaru's family. They had to be taking it hard too. "Who did it?"

"I don't know. The only people who saw the attack aren't saying anything about it, Hokage's orders. But, from what I can figure out, whoever did this used a Genjutsu strong enough to leave three of them like this. Ino's Sensei was injured physically, so there had to be two people at least."

She shook her head. "Still, it doesn't make sense. Kurenai-sensei is a master of Genjutsu and both Sasuke and Kakashi have the Sharingan. Yet whoever did this to them got them all so easily that it's scary."

"So someone hit them with a Genjutsu so hard that it put them in the hospital?" He grimaced at that. "I know that they can be used to create illusions, but from how you put it this is something else entirely. Is that even possible?"

"When she was teaching me, Kurenai-sensei mentioned that a strong enough Genjutsu can cause physical damage to the body," Sakura said. "She mentioned there was a clan in Konoha that had a bloodline limit that could do it once upon a time, using illusions so powerful that they caused the brain to reflect the damage onto their body. But this is different. It caused psychological damage—the sort of thing that strains the mind and can shatter it into pieces."

"Will they wake up?" he asked cautiously. "Can't they send someone from Ino's Clan to do something? They specialize in that, right?"

"I asked her, but she said that they can't send Yamanaka into someone's mind if they've undergone a certain level of psychological stress for medical reasons. It can do more harm than good, so they have to find someone who can heal that sort of thing or wait until they wake up on their own."

Sakura brought her hands up to her hair, fingers tensed from the sheer frustration. "Lee, Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei, Kurenai-sensei—I'm tired of watching all the people who help me end up like this, Naruto."

Naruto didn't say anything to that. He understood it to some extent, like when Iruka took a Giant Shuriken in the back for him and when Karin ended up being covered in markings from the Cursed Seal on her. But he couldn't advise her on what to do.

That was when the door opened and two people stepped in. One of them was Shizune, who pressed a finger to her mouth. The other was a woman with long, dark hair that fell down her back—the Transformation that Tsunade put on herself. She touched Sasuke's forehead and her fingers glowed with a soft light.

Sasuke began to stir away, dark eyes fluttering open for a moment. Then his eyes closed and his head lolled. His breathing shifted, leaving his chest to rise and fall a lot more noticeably than before.

"Let him sleep," Shizune told the pair as the disguised Tsunade promptly walked out of the room. "Dealing with the psychological damage is one thing, but his mind needs rest to fully heal."

"What about Kakashi-sensei and others?" he asked.

"She's going to help them now." She crouched down to place a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Just keep the fact that we're here a secret, okay? And remember to go to do the debriefing with the Hokage."

He nodded as she rose to her feet again and then walked out of the room. That left Naruto and Sakura alone again. The latter was looking at Sasuke's sleeping face, which had taken on a more placid expression.

Sakura sighed in relief at the sight. "…Thank you, Naruto," Sakura said after a pause. "I heard what she said, so I won't pry. But I know you had something to do with it, so thank you."

"I'm just glad that they helped." He rubbed the back of his neck in thought. Shizune had been helping him with his technique during their trip back and she seemed nice. But the other woman had been cold and curt to even Jiraiya. He guessed the Old Man had a way of making her help easily enough.

Still, if they could help Kakashi and Karin then that would be enough for him. "I'd better go back to the Hokage's Tower. See you later?"

"Sure," Sakura said.

 **[0-0-0]**

Seven-year old Karin hummed as she sat in a field of flowers that reached as far as her eyes could see. In her hands was a crown that was slowly being woven to fit on her head. Another pair, one made of yellow flowers and one made of red, laid next to her. She couldn't recall why or when she made them, but looking at them pulled at her heart in a good way.

Her flower-weaving was brought to an end when a man with blond hair appeared in the air in front of her. He looked around for a moment before locking eyes with her. Then he touched down on the field.

She backed away from the tall stranger. "Who are you?"

"Miss Uzumaki, I need your whole attention," he said. "Though I hate to pull you from your 'Happy Place,' the Hokage has given me orders to carry out and you should be conscious enough to register why I am here."

In an instant, gone was the seven-year old, innocent child. In her place was the real Karin, the spy and traitor to three villages instead of one. "What's going on?"

"You have been in a medical coma since the day you were retrieved from the forest after the Invasion," he explained. "In order to seal away the Cursed Mark on you, we need to wake you so that it can proceed. However, I've been told that the process will be excruciating and came to warn you beforehand so that you may brace yourself."

His words brought to mind that event. She recalled stopping Naruto from killing Sakura, telling them where Sasuke was located. And then Naruto bit into her.

"What happened to Naruto?" she asked. "Naruto Uzumaki, is he okay? He should have been in the forest as well."

"I am not personally familiar with that individual, but all the Genin that were in the location we retrieved you from were secured and the battle with the Jinchuuriki had no causalities."

She exhaled audibly at that. If something had happened to him, she wouldn't have been able to calm down. "Good. Good."

"Getting back to the matter at hand, you are on the verge of waking up so they are beginning the sealing process. Due to the nature of the seal, there will be a backlash from the attempt and it will be dependent on your own willpower. You need to focus your mind on something to aid with the sealing process."

"Like what?"

"Some sort of image or visualization to aid you," he said. "A person or object you can cling to and will only be able to obtain should the sealing work. You need to use it as an anchor for the technique to work."

"Okay, that sounds simple enough." All she needed to do was think of something she could hold onto if she remained free of the Cursed Mark. "I should be able to manage that much."

"Then I will take my leave." He floated into the air again and then faded away, leaving her alone.

Karin sat back down in the field of flowers and looked down to the flower crowns that came in pink, red, and yellow. The colors that her younger-self chose made so much more sense now that she was aware of it. The pink would be hers for obvious reasons, young and able to pass as a lighter shade of red, which was her mother's hair color.

The yellow had to be Naruto's then. That loveable goofball she fell in love with. He was probably the only good thing in her life at the moment, waiting for her in the waking world. She grabbed his flower crown and held it close to her heart.

The change happened abruptly after that. All of the vivid hues of the flowers dulled, going from an entire spectrum of bright colors to ink-black. The clear and sunny sky was suddenly filled with storm-clouds laden with tendrils of stygian lightning. Thorned vines snaked from the ground and then coiled around her body from every conceivable angle, the thorns piercing her flesh like poisoned nails that brought with them an indescribable pain.

She screamed as she braced the flower crown tighter, the sole spot of color in the otherwise pitch-dark world.


	28. Chapter 28

**Another Chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

A lingering, agonizing ache made itself known to Karin as she slowly stirred awake in a room unfamiliar to her. Everything hurt at the moment, even her fingers grasping for something that wasn't there. But she had experienced far worse from the Seal of Subjugation, leaving her grateful that its markings no longer covered her body.

She took a moment to just breathe, letting the aches settle a bit. Then she sat up… or at least she tried to. Her hands were bound to the railing of the medical bed. They were the sort of straps that Orochimaru and Kabuto used to keep subjects pinned down so they could operate on them, usually after drugging them if it didn't compromise the purpose of the procedure.

Panic began to set it at the thought that they had claimed her and she activated her Mind's Eye. Numerous chakra signatures were close to her, some layered in shells and veils of Yin chakra to hide themselves. One had an intricate mesh of medically-refined Yang chakra covering their body in a pattern that she didn't think was possible, as if threading each cell of her body individually while connected to a point on her forehead.

Still, she recognized most of the signatures to an extent. One of them was the Hokage and the other was Gama, so she wasn't back in a Hidden Sound base. And, sending her awareness across the village further, she picked up the warm and sunny chakra belonging to the boy she had grown soothingly close to.

Karin let loose a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She relaxed, giving her mind enough time to remember everything that happened—from the Invasion to the man visiting her Happy Place. That was when the door to the room opened.

Gama entered, wearing the Hokage's appearance in a Transformation. The disguise was flawless on the surface, from the height and frame of the body to the wrinkles on his face. Even that stern look that he was wearing seemed natural. "Can you speak?"

"Yes, Gama-san," Karin said.

He paused for a moment. Then he sighed, dropping the disguise to reveal his appearance as a man with big, white hair. "The name's Jiraiya, for the record, and it's actually a bit frightening how easily you saw through that."

"I can sense the Hokage's chakra signature on the other side of the mirror with someone else," she said. "It's a lot less than when I was last awake, but I recognize it. That's the one thing you can't change, even if your disguise looks perfect."

He looked towards the one-way mirror, where the Hokage was. "Huh. And who else can you sense?"

"There are five signatures besides yours and his that are close to me. Two are in the room with him, one in a hidden panel above this room, one in a compartment below my bed, and one in the corner, under a concealment technique." She gestured her head to the corner of the room. "That one I recognize as the one who watched over me the most often when I was staying at the Inn."

"That's quite a gift you've got at your age," he said, sounding slightly intrigued. "Chakra-sensing usually takes a long time to refine. Even then, there's usually a bloodline or medium of some kind, like a seal or device."

"It was a fluke I was born with," she said. "It used to be on all the time until my home was attacked and I started being able to turn it on and off. I wasn't lying when I said that happened to the Hokage. I just left out that Orochimaru took an interest in me because of my hair and killed the men who were trying to take me instead."

"A lie of omission is still a lie," he pointed out. "If we had known ahead of time about his other agent, Kabuto Yakushi, a lot of needless deaths could have been avoided. Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"If you were in my shoes, and it wasn't your home that was attacked, would you have done it?" she asked. "I've seen what Grass does with spies and Orochimaru told me about your interrogation methods. Would you really have offered me the chance to stay in the village if I confessed everything?"

"… Yes," he said, after a moment of thought. "We've already done it for one of his former agents. She was younger than you when we found her abandoned by him."

Her throat felt dry at hearing that. "Then why couldn't you have found me sooner? Before he found me? Maybe then I could have had a happy life."

A slight grimace formed on his face at that. "We can't be everywhere. Believe me, I've seen my share of orphans that deserved better than they got. It's an unfortunate fact, especially during wartime."

"I get that." She shook her head slowly. "It was bad luck that my home was destroyed, and then the one who saved me from being sold off was someone who was your worst enemy. It was good luck that Naruto decided to save me instead of someone else, showing me I had family. Luck and timing—those are what determines how things play out a lot of the time."

"…We're getting off-track," Jiraiya decided. "Despite what Orochimaru told you, we're willing to settle for talking at present."

She shrugged. "There's no reason for me to hide anything anymore. What do you want to know?"

"What made you decide to change your plans?" he asked. "Naruto's report mentioned that you had taken Byakko and fled before the Invasion began. He said that you were supposed to capture him but wouldn't."

"I didn't want him to suffer," she said. "Naruto has a way of worming into your heart by being so trusting and sweet, despite everything that he's been through. Kabuto gave me the details about his life. They're in the seal if you want to see."

He nodded. "I already managed to get that out when I sealed the Cursed Mark… It was a lot more detailed than we liked. But go on."

She fought off a yawn before she continued. "I… had a pretty good idea what they were going to do to Naruto if I went through with it, and decided I wasn't going to put him through that. But I knew the consequences of spying, so I didn't say anything. Since it was made clear that failure would get me punished as well, there was no home for me to go to either."

"So you decided to run?" he guessed.

Her red hair swayed as she nodded. "I figured I'd run when I got the chance during the chaos. I'd dye my hair, suppress my chakra, and start over somewhere else. I wanted Naruto to come with me, but I understood he loved this village too much to even consider it. It was just easier to disappear."

"With Byakko that would have been possible." He crossed his arms. "But I'm guessing you felt Naruto's chakra on the way out?"

"He entered my sensing range with several Sound shinobi after," she said. "Think about it. Naruto, a Genin for a few months, against Hidden Sound agents, fully-grown men trained to kill by Orochimaru and likely equipped to capture him. I couldn't just run away, and, while his group did well in fending them off, that last _would_ have gotten him if I hadn't…"

Karin trailed off as she yawned. "I'm sorry," she said. "I'm still a bit tired, but that's the gist of why I came back. What else do you want to know?"

There was a tap on the glass before he could ask anything else. It was a signal of some kind. He nodded to it and then turned back to her.

"Get some rest," he said firmly. "We'll talk later."

"If you're going to send me back to Grass after this is over, tell Naruto there was a complication in sealing the Cursed Mark and I died," she said abruptly. "They'll kill me anyway, and I don't want him to feel badly about the village when he loves it so much."

"Grass has turned you over to the Leaf's custody with everything that's happened, so you don't have to worry about being sent back." He left the room with that said.

Karin laid her head down against the pillow and closed her eyes. Her Mind's Eye focused on Naruto's chakra in the distance. He was safe and sound after all of that, which was the best she could hope for. Yet, chances were they'd never let her see him again….

If he wanted to see her again, given everything she done. Tears began to trickle down from the corners of her eyes at the thought, only to stop when she fell back asleep. Back to the dreams that comforted her where reality wouldn't.

 **[0-0-0]**

"Sorry about before," Naruto said to Hiruzen Sarutobi, in regards to running off when he learned of his teammate's fate.

It was a short time after Jiraiya's brief questioning with Miss Uzumaki. He had called it off after that because it had given him an idea on her sensory abilities, and how to deal with her. The rest of the information of value had already been obtained while she slept, courtesy of the Yamanaka Clan—not that she needed to know that.

"I understand, Naruto," he said. "Just don't make a habit of it. You do have to live up to the standards of being a Chuunin now that I'm lifting the restriction of keeping quiet on the subject."

The boy nodded.

"Now then, we have a few things to discuss regarding your promotion. Kakashi, once he has recovered, will take in a third member to replace your spot. Your training will be with Jiraiya instead. I speak from personal experience when I say that he has a habit of bringing out the potential in his students."

That much was certain. There were fewer he could entrust to the task either way. Jiraiya had the key to the seal housing the Nine-Tailed Fox. There was also the fact that there was a chain to be linked to it.

Sarutobi had been trained by the First and Second Hokages before becoming the Third. He had trained Jiraiya, who had trained not only the Fourth, but was experienced in his own right and on the verge of becoming the Fifth—preferably as soon as Naruto's training was up to par. Retirement was looking good right about now.

"In terms of missions you will be allowed to take, they will be low-C rank for the time being," he continued. "After all, you have less than a year's experience as a shinobi and, given how chaotic the mission to Wave was, I think you need more time to acclimate to standard ones."

That mission had gotten out of hand in a lot of ways. It could have been handled better on all accounts. Even if things ended smoothly enough with a bridge named after him. That was another mark on the boy's record in his favor.

"In addition, I would like for you to spend some time talking to Gaara of the Desert." That boy had been quiet and almost non-responsive since they'd captured him. "I'm hoping that as fellow Jinchuuriki, you will come to something of an accord."

Naruto nodded his head. "I've been wanting to talk to him myself, now that the fighting is over."

"I imagined so, but what you learn will no doubt be unpleasant from what we've gathered from his siblings." He wouldn't question Rasa's methods since each village has its own way after all. But he certainly didn't see the benefits of how he'd chosen to train the boy. "Lastly, there's the matter of Karin Uzumaki."

Just like that, the air became thick with tension. Naruto stilled, his breath caught in his chest. "What's going to happen to her?"

"Her circumstances are unique, Naruto." The Hokage sighed. "She has a long road ahead of her for everything that has happened, even if she didn't wish for them. She will be under observation and be restricted in the actions she can take for a prolonged period, without a doubt…."

Naruto trembled in place as he trailed off. The older man imagined he was bristling with the urge to plead for him to show her leniency if he gave too harsh a decision. The fact that he had remained so composed when he saw her the first time was another testament to his growth compared to before he graduated.

"However, we can sympathize with her situation and are willing to give her a chance," he continued. "If she behaves herself and shows that she can grow to love the village as you do, we'll give her a home here. Her records will be sealed to keep her part in things quiet, so that she won't be ostracized for it."

All the tension in Naruto's body melted at that. "Thanks, Old M—I mean, Hokage sir."

 _It'll take him some time to get used to having to say that, won't it?_ He fought off the urge to chuckle a bit before sighing. "An Anbu Officer will escort you to her location when she wakes. Get some rest until then."

He left out after that, no doubt eager to wait up until the wee hours of the morning now that night had begun to fall.

"I hope for both their sakes this works out well," Sarutobi said to the invisible figure in the corner of the room. "Otherwise, it may hurt them more in the end."

"It's for the best, Old Man," Jiraiya said as he dropped the Transparency technique he developed. "It might be because I'm a bit nostalgic, but her situation reminds me a lot of Nagato and the others."

The Ame orphans he'd taken care of and the boy who developed the Rinnegan, from what Jiraiya had told him. In all honesty, Sarutobi felt that Jiraiya should have brought them back to the village for safekeeping. But Jiraiya didn't on the grounds that Nagato had told him that his parents had been killed by shinobi of the Leaf, an unfortunate accident but not uncommon during wartime.

So he trained and left them to their own devices. Then the last he'd heard they died by Hanzo's hands. Jiraiya grieved as he always did, throwing himself into his work. The same thing happened later on, with Minato's death.

Sarutobi felt that this was his way of trying to prevent it from happening again. The third time should be the charm, right?

"I take it you have someone in mind for watching her?" Jiraiya asked. "You can't let her live in that place."

He nodded. "I'll have the files sent over to that person in the morning. She should be recovering as well and they have a lot in common, regardless of the tension that will be involved."

 **[0-0-0]**

Naruto had been on the verge of falling asleep when there was a knock on his door. The Anbu Officer that had brought him before had come again, with word that Karin had woken up. Just like that, all his exhaustion faded away and a surge of energy coursed through him as she carried him through the dizzying motions back to the secure location.

He took a deep breath as he stood outside of the door to her room, guarding by two Anbu Officers he didn't recognize. Hesitation lingered in his chest and weighed down his feet when he recalled the day of the Invasion and her confession. He took a moment to just breathe again, gathered his courage into his limbs, and opened the door.

Karin was inside. She was sitting up in the bed with her hands in her lap, a band of slightly discolored flesh to show where her wrists had been bound before by the straps that were loose on the railing of the bed. Her head was down, her hair shadowing her face as though she wanted to hide her eyes from him.

 _"You came to see me,"_ Karin said softly, without looking up. _"Despite everything that's happened. Why?"_

"I missed you," he said sincerely as he walked closer. "Are you okay now?"

"As fine as I can be given everything that happened. They haven't tortured me or anything, which makes it better than how it would have been anywhere else."

"Of course they wouldn't torture you." He tried to get a look at her face, but she turned her head away from him. "You didn't do anything wrong."

Her fingers clenched the sheet in her lap. "We both know I did."

"You didn't have a choice." He tried to reach out and set his hand on hers, but she pulled her hands back and pressed them against her chest. His shoulders sagged. "Will you at least look at me?"

"I don't deserve to," she said with a hitch in her voice. "I… If I had known they would have shown me mercy, then I would have said something. But I didn't, Naruto. And look what happened."

"Everything turned out okay though. That's what matters." He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably at the resulting silence. This wasn't how he imagined the talk going. Maybe he should try bringing up what she said before she fled? "Karin, about what you said to my Shadow Clone—"

"Forget it!" She shook her head violently, her eyes screwed shut. "I shouldn't have said anything. I just wanted to get it off my chest, to know how you'd react before I moved on. But I didn't know you'd get the memories. "

He felt a weight in his chest at her reaction. "Did you…not mean it?"

"I meant it, but…" She curled up into herself, bracing her shoulders with her arms trembling. "You're still going to be the Hokage someday, aren't you?"

He frowned. "Yeah. I'm a Chuunin now."

"Then it'll look bad if you're seen associating with a former spy that worked for Orochimaru," she said. "I've caused enough problems for you as is. Besides, I'm sure they won't let me stay in the village after they've learned all they can. Either they'll send me to prison or cut me loose and I'll be alone again."

"You're wrong." He cupped her trembling hands in his own and held them tight so she couldn't break away. "The Old Man told me that you could stay. He said that if you're really honest about it and do what they say, they'll seal the records and keep quiet so that you can stay here, with me. You can have a home and family."

Karin's entire body tensed at that and her head rose. Her eyes were glistening wet, on the verge of tears. "You're not lying?"

He shook his head. "The Old Man wants to give you a chance because you didn't have a choice. And I owe you so much for everything you've done. I want you to stay here with me, in the village. Don't you want that too?"

 _"Mm-hmm…"_ She moved her head closer to his body. "I'll do whatever they say if that's the case. I promise. Just… just don't abandon me, or I won't have anything left. Okay?"

"I promise," he said as he pulled her into a hug. "I won't abandon you."

"Thank you, Naruto," Karin said as she wrapped her arms around his back. "I'm so glad I met you. I really am."

"Me too." In truth, he still wanted to talk about her feelings and what she had said back then. But it could wait until she had settled down. By then, maybe he'd have a solid answer on how to respond to her feelings properly.

So they stayed like that, silently embracing one another, until the allotted time was up.


	29. Chapter 29

**Another Chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Jiraiya sat with his legs crossed in front of his new student, who was out like a light with his head slouching forward. In hindsight, it may have been a miscalculation to try and have Naruto sit down patiently in the middle of an empty field and meditate on his surroundings. Though he had his moments of insightfulness and maturity, boredom was something that had to be taken into account.

He was, after all, a child.

It was fine for now though. While he wanted the boy to familiarize himself with the practice for when the Toads inevitably taught him how to achieve Sage Mode, it wouldn't be anytime soon. His body was too underdeveloped for that and he had yet to hit puberty. Getting him used to it right now would simply boast better results later.

And Naruto did manage to get a work-around for the Rasengan that Jiraiya hadn't thought of. He mentioned it was thanks to Shizune's help the first time that he got the idea. By using a clone to handle the containment while he handled the rotation and the power, he bypassed the most difficult step.

He'd need to learn to do so without a clone eventually. But it was fine for now as well. They had plenty of time before Jiraiya had to take the hat. Though he was still hesitant to take on the role of the Hokage, and certainly wasn't in a rush.

He could probably buy a few years time to train Naruto. Akatsuki was still out there after all, and the Leaf would be a prime target now that it had two Jinchuuriki in its custody. There was no telling when they would surface again, but they had to be dealt with one way or another.

Those thoughts out of the way, the Toad Sage clapped his hands hard. The sound promptly snapped Naruto awake. He defaulted to a sheepish expression after realizing what happened.

"Uh… sorry about that," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "It was just too quiet."

"Something to work on in the future," Jiraiya told him. Then he pulled out a sheet of square paper, similar to that one would use when folding origami. "For now, let's try and figure out where you stand with elemental affinity. You know the cycle of overcoming, right?"

Naruto nodded. "It's like a game of Jankenpo. Wind insulates Lightning, Lightning pierces Earth, Earth dams Water, Water quenches Fire, and Fire consumes Wind. That's why Sasuke managed to get through the Sand Shield Gaara was using with lightning, rather than using a fire technique like normal or explosives."

Jiraiya nodded. "Chidori is an A-Rank technique, there's _nearly_ no Earth techniques that can outright stop it. Hatake taught him it specifically because his own experiences during war utilized it as such. However, that only applies if the techniques are the same level. A D-Rank Water technique will be evaporated by a B-Rank Fire technique and so on. And if two techniques with the same element but different ranks clash, the weakest will be consumed and make the stronger one even more powerful."

There were also cases where you can use one technique to purposely empower another, such as feeding wind into fire to strengthen in. But when two different shinobi did so, the combined technique ran the risk of going out of control if they weren't used to it. Such actions had to properly coordinated or practiced ahead of time.

He handed over the sheet to Naruto. "Try injecting chakra into it. If you're aligned with Fire, the paper will burn to ashes. Wind will make it split in two, Lightning will make it crinkle, Earth will crumble to dust, and Water will soak it. If you lean to Yang more heavily than anything, it'll swell somewhat, and if it's Yin then it will cause a marking to appear. "

Naruto closed his eyes and channeled his chakra into it. The paper split into two halves almost immediately. Wind it was.

"Having a Wind affinity right off the bat is rare," Jiraiya said. "With it you can either unleash a squall to buffet your enemies or a blade that can cleave them to pieces. With refining, you can lace it with dust or sand to erode away everything in your path, or generate a compressed sphere of air that devastates entire landmasses. Watch my hands and I'll show you."

When Naruto got to his feet and started staring at him, Jiraiya gathered and compressed his wind chakra onto the palms of his hands. He kept the amount rather miniscule, not thick enough to appear visible or even distort the air around his hands before he clapped them together. The impact dispersed the chakra and sent a gale out that made Naruto stagger back a few step before falling on his rear, rather than send him feet-over-head a few meters away.

"That was a technique known as the Gale Palm, though I half-heartedly put effort into," he explained. "It works by compressing wind chakra and then releasing it with a simple clap, using chakra control to direct it to an extent. If I had used the external air as a medium and laced it with sharpened chakra, then it would have been akin to sending out blades to slice into your skin—a Wind Scythe technique. Likewise, if I had used my lungs and exhaled then, depending on my chakra control and reserves, it would have created a powerful gust of wind that could have blown over a house. Those are all C-Rank techniques at that, and while not high in terms of power, you don't see them coming until it's too late."

"So basically what Gaara did while transformed and what his sister did during the Preliminaries," Naruto said, getting back to his feet. "How do I start?"

Jiraiya tapped his chin in thought. The reason most shinobi aren't taught elemental techniques until Chuunin, outside of Clans, is because freshly-minted Genin are often young and lack maturity. They'll try a technique in haste and end up hurting themselves. If he improperly molded wind chakra, it would very likely cut him apart from the inside out. And unlike Nagato, Naruto didn't have the luxury of the Rinnegan.

After a moment of thought, he decided, "We'll start with being able to refine your base chakra externally. We can use leaves for now, since being able to cut them with your chakra alone will likely suffice for a minor technique. It's only when you need something really devastating that you'll have to move up to something harder to cut."

 **[0-0-0]**

"Anko Mitarashi reporting for duty," Anko said, standing at attention the moment she entered the Hokage's office. She had received a file detailing an assignment that she was to undertake from an Anbu Officer this morning, and had now come at the appointed time.

"How are you feeling?" the Hokage asked. The moment that Orochimaru had been killed, her Cursed Mark flared up briefly while she was helping to evacuate civilians. The seal around it had been reinforced since then, but the effort had been taxing on her chakra system—like due to the fact that she'd had her Cursed Mark for over a decade now.

"There are some slight fluctuations and imbalances in my chakra from the last flare up," she admitted. "But I can manage the assignment you had in mind."

"Are you certain?" he asked. "You can speak freely against it, if you wish."

Anko's lips briefly pursed, forming a thin line. "In all honesty, I can't say that I can be entirely unbiased with overseeing her. Her ability makes her a major security risk, and she's squandered your generosity by leaving us in the dark about his agents."

Left unsaid was that she reminded Anko of how she used to be as a child. That was something of an old shame for her, having been an admirer of Orochimaru in her youth. She drank in everything he had to teach her, until he used her as an experiment for the Cursed Seal of Heaven. Then he'd abandoned her in the Land of the Sea.

Shaking off those memories, she continued. "At the same time, I can somewhat empathize with her situation. And I'm the best suited to see if she's really committed to a second chance over a period of long-term observation. I will try to remain as unbiased as I can."

The Hokage leaned back in his chair and sighed. "I know that you'll challenge her because she reminds you of the past, meaning you'll take into consideration all the hardships you faced and be fair towards her by holding her up to the same standards. If she can stand up to all of that for the sake of remaining in the village, we'll know for certain how strong her ties are and the Leaf will grow because of it."

There was no denying that the abilities Anko read on the files would make her useful, which was probably the reason Orochimaru took an interest in her in the first place. He had a habit of cherry-picking those who were talented or gifted. "I shall do my best to then."

"Very well," he said. "I also understand that your living quarters are rather small, so I have provided a larger home for you to utilize for the duration of the assignment. So long as she follows the guidelines that have been drafted to gain a full-understanding of her abilities, you may oversee her how you see fit."

"Thank you, sir."

 **[0-0-0]**

After the training session finished, Naruto found himself in yet another secure location. It was a two-story facility located outside of the village proper. Gaara was being held here, likely in the event that the inhibitor seals failed and the One-Tailed Raccoon Dog was unleashed again.

A small part of him wondered for a brief moment if it had been meant to house him at one point as well. But he brushed that line of thinking away. The Old Man was always nice and had never treated him in the same manner that Gaara's father did—according to the files, anyway.

That isn't to say that the building was inhospitable. The structure honestly looked rather homely, if you disregarded the lack of windows. And the Anbu Officers that he could actually spot. And the fact that there were probably traps as well, given how he had been firmly warned on the way in to follow a set path and not deviate.

Naruto knocked on the door of the room that was currently in use by Gaara. He had been informed ahead of time that Naruto would be arriving, and the door was already unlocked. But it never hurt to be courteous.

" _The door is unlocked,_ " came through the other side. Naruto opened it to find Gaara was sitting down in a chair in the center of the room, at one end of a round table that was at least two arms-lengths apart. Other than another chair and light, the room was rather Spartan.

Naruto sat down on the opposite end. There was a lingering silence in the air as he tried to find an appropriate way to start the conversation. He had given the subject a great deal of thought, taking into consideration any hostilities that may be present for being a large part of why Gaara was trapped in the facility.

"Um… Hi…" It wasn't perfect, but it was all he had for an opener.

For his part, Gaara mostly sat there with his arms crossed. The borderline unblinking and placid expression he had when not on the verge of madness or enraged left him hard to read. He just stared at Naruto for a moment of prolonged silence before saying, "I find it hard to believe you also host a demon within you."

Naruto didn't deny it. He specifically had clearance to tell him because it could be used as a point in this instance to create some sort of link between them. But Gaara shouldn't have known that on his own. "How'd you guess?"

"While I allowed the demon within me to act freely, the burden it places on me is lifted. I become able to see the world as it does through me, hear its inner thoughts, and feel how it does. It recognized the chakra that you used as that of its own kind."

Naruto filed that bit of information away for later and said, "I had the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed inside of me the day I was born. Just like you."

"That is what I do not understand," he said. "If we were the same, I would not be here right now. You would not have reached out and caught me as I fell in an attempt to save me."

"I fought to stop you from hurting anyone else," Naruto said. "But that was it. There was no need to let you die once you couldn't fight back. Letting you fall to your death in that case would have been the same as killing you. That should never be done on a whim, out of hatred, or fear."

"You are too soft," Gaara said firmly, as if a fact. "If our positions were swapped, I would have done so immediately. Leaving those who oppose you alive will only leave you open to being killed later on."

Naruto frowned. That was such a dark way of looking at things. "Is that why you tried to kill Lee when he couldn't fight back? Because you were afraid he'd come after you again?"

"The stronger the opponent, the greater the threat they may be to me," Gaara said. "He was strong enough to break through my defenses. Leaving him alive, even crippled, would allow him to seek vengeance one day. Only by eliminating everyone else will there be no one that can threaten my existence."

"Isn't that a lonely way to live?" Naruto asked. "I mean, if you kill everyone else because you feel threatened, then who else will be left to stand by you?"

"No one has stood by me since I was a child," he said. "Everyone feared me because of what I was. They ran and left me alone. And then the one person who showed me kindness betrayed me and tried to take my life. If we truly are similar, then you should have experienced something similar, correct?"

"… Yeah, actually," Naruto said, after taking a moment to just process that. "The day I was born, the Nine-Tailed Fox went on a rampage and killed a lot of people before they put it into me. I grew up without knowing why everyone hated me until a few months ago, when one of my teachers told me while trying to kill me."

"Then why do you not live for only yourself, as I have?"

"Because someone saved me," Naruto said. "Iruka-sensei's parents were killed by the Nine-Tailed Fox, but he still came to like me enough that he was willing to take a hit that would have seriously injured me. If that hadn't happened, I think that I would have ended up giving up on people too."

Had Iruka not been there, Mizuki would have seriously injured him to take the scroll. The Fox wouldn't let him die so easily, Naruto knew that now. But the betrayal after he put his trust in that man would have very likely been the final time he trusted in someone else. He would have given into his anger and let the Fox's influence take hold, becoming no different than Gaara.

"One person made all the difference," Naruto continued. "If he hadn't been there, I would have probably decided to live like you chose to. But because Iruka-sensei was there, I decided to keep trying to get others to accept me like he does. The people who cheered me on during my match, my teammates, Karin, Teuchi and Ayame—they're proof that I succeeded in the end."

For the first time since their discussion began, Gaara averted his eyes from Naruto. The only inkling into what was going through his mind was the soft words that followed. "…You were fortunate."

"Yeah, I was," Naruto admitted. "It makes me happy, but I'm afraid that one day I'll lose those people who I managed to connect with. That thought scares me more than anything, and it makes my heart ache just thinking about it."

Gaara's eyes turned towards him yet again. Only this time there was a faint recognition within them, an understanding of what it truly meant to feel that sort of pain. "And yet you still insist on caring for them, despite the pain that will follow when you lose them?"

"I'd rather have those people who can accept me in my life rather than not at all, and I can extend the time I have with them by becoming strong enough to protect them," Naruto said. "What about you, Gaara? Were you happy living for only yourself?"

The Jinchuuriki of the Sand said nothing to that. Just the same, Naruto didn't press him on it. It wouldn't help things.

"I know the pain you've been through as a Jinchuuriki, being hated and ignored for reasons beyond your control. But I also know that people can change for the better. That's why, despite the fact that you tried to take my friends from me and tried to kill me, I want to try and make things better for you by being the person that makes a difference in your life."

The corners of Gaara's lips pulled back slightly, stretching into a small frown. "And how do you plan on doing that?"

"I'm going to be your friend," Naruto said, extending his arm across the table. "I do have certain restrictions on what I can do with you because of everything that's happened. But we can just hangout and talk, or try new foods or games, or stuff like that."

Gaara stared at his hand for a pregnant pause. Then he extended his own and gingerly placed into Naruto's. Just like that, the two Jinchuuriki shook hands…


	30. Chapter 30

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

"Here you go," Ayame said as she handed off a bowl of one of their most expensive Ramen dishes to Naruto. It was her way of congratulating him on his promotion to Chuunin, a fact that was irrefutable given that he now wore his flak jacket over his normal jumpsuit, while Teuchi was away.

"Thanks, Ayame-nee!" Naruto said over the sound of bubbling broth, the clinking chopsticks on ceramic, and the slurping of noodles that filled the air of the Ichiraku. His cerulean eyes couldn't help but glimmer as he stared down at the work of art. The thick, rich scent coming off of it nearly left him drooling. "You're too good to me."

Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon were sitting to his left, enjoying their own bowls. Naruto had kept his promise to play with them earlier today and even brought Gamakichi and Gamatatsu into it. The two younger toads were situated on the counter to his far right, enjoying their own snacks.

"This is a fine establishment you've got here, Miss," Gamakichi told her after he wiped his mouth. "I'll make sure all the toads back home know of it."

"Glad to hear it." Her dark-brown eyes then turned to Naruto and her head tilted slightly. "And where's Karin-chan? I thought she'd be with you today."

Naruto froze for a moment at the inquiry, mind racing with thoughts on what to say as he swallowed his noodles. "She's a…bit busy at the moment with the Old Man after everything that's happened. But I'll bring her as soon as I get a chance."

Ayame took his words at face value and left it at that, and Naruto went back to eating until a familiar voice drew his attention.

"Who would have thought the dead last in class would be the first to make it to Chuunin," Kiba said without any malice in his words as he approached them with Akamaru on his head. The pup had a bandage wrapped around one of his legs, but otherwise looked healthy. "At least it takes some of the sting out of losing to you at the Preliminaries."

"…You're that loud boy that was cheering on Naruto at the Finals, aren't you?" Ayame asked after a moment of thought. When he nodded, she gestured to an empty seat. "I'll grab you a bowl as well. On the house."

"Mom always did tell me it was rude to refuse when a woman offers you food." Akamaru gave a short bark at that. "It counts outside the dinner table too."

The Inuzuka took a seat next to Naruto and sat Akamaru on the seat next to him. The ninja-pup looked over to Gamakichi and let loose an inquiring bark. Gamakichi, apparently understanding him, grabbed one of the snacks to his brother's dismay and lightly tossed it underhanded for the pup to try. Akamaru nibbled on it while Kiba placed an elbow on the counter and watched Ayame as she worked at the noodles and pot, humming softly.

Naruto's brows creased at the sight as he finished slurping a few noodles. He didn't like that look Kiba was giving Ayame. She was like an older sister to him, and you didn't ogle a friend's sister. He tapped him with his elbow to get the message across and then asked, "Did things get settled between Hinata and her cousin?"

He nodded. "That beating seemed to set him straight, though Hinata did mention her father went and had a talk with him after the match. Either way, they're at least on talking terms and I don't have to kick in her cousin's teeth, so I think we can call it settled for now."

 _"And how's your Sensei doing?"_ Naruto asked next, in a slightly lower tone. No sense in Ayame or the other kids hearing it. _"Sakura mentioned that the same guy who got her also got Sasuke and Kakashi."_

 _"She's managing well enough to be out tomorrow,"_ he said in a low tone that brimmed with raw and seething anger just beneath the surface. _"I'm still going to find the guy who put her in there in the first place and tear them to shreds."_

 _"I want to make them pay too,"_ Konohamaru said in a low voice as well. Naruto looked over to his side to see the younger boy had stopped eating, instead staring at his reflection in what was left of the broth. He was frowning and his eyes were narrowed. _"They hurt my uncle too."_

 _"… Just don't let that anger take over,"_ Naruto told them both, grabbing their attention. _"I know what it's like to get mad at someone enough to want to make them pay with their lives. But that anger can make you do something you'll regret in the process."_

His thoughts drifted off to that time in the forest, wreathed in the cloak of malevolent chakra. Had Karin been a second slower in calling out to him, his own teammate would have died by his hands. Though Sakura may not remember that moment because of the battle with Gaara, Naruto wouldn't ever forget it.

 _"So what? We're just supposed to sit on our thumbs and let it go?"_ Kiba asked gruffly.

Naruto shook his head. _"We train and become strong enough to protect what's important to us, so the next time it won't happen. But we shouldn't go looking for revenge. If we do, there's no telling what our anger will make us do in the end."_

 _"That sounds like something Shino would say, but whatever. It's not like they're even telling us who it is that did it in the first place,"_ Kiba said dismissively, straightening himself up as Ayame returned with his food. "Thanks."

"You better teach us all something new soon, Boss," Konohamaru demanded. "We've already got down how to do the Sexy—"

His words were muffled as Naruto covered his mouth. The newly-minted Chuunin gestured his head towards Ayame. She had an eyebrow raised in disapproval and her hands on her hips.

"I'll teach you something else later," Naruto promised, trying his hardest to ignore Ayame's annoyed glare and Kiba's amused glance. "Just be patient for a bit, okay?"

 **[0-0-0]**

"—and that's my room," Anko said, pointing to room on the right. It had a nameplate on it. "I don't need to explain that it's off-limits, do I?"

"No, Ma'am," Karin said to the woman in the mesh-bodysuit and tan overcoat as she guided her through the rather modest home that Karin had been assigned to live in with her. It had two rooms, each with their own bathroom and spacious closet, a kitchen mixed with a dining room, a living room, and an attic. The place was rather large compared most of the other places she stayed, outside of the base where she trained under Orochimaru (and that place had other issues).

However, the majority of Karin's attention was elsewhere. Mostly on Naruto as he ate at where they had met for the first time outside of the Forest of Death, at the restaurant owned by Ayame and her father. Right now he was with a few other people, but she was only familiar with two of their chakra signatures—the Inuzuka and his pup. The others were now memorized and, if she ran across them in person with her power active, she'd recognize them and be able to put faces to the signatures.

Her attention returned to her immediate surroundings when she felt the skin on her left leg crawling. She lifted her leg to scratch it, only to find a small snake coiled around the limb and staring at her. Karin let out a surprised yelp before shaking her leg to get it off.

The serpent ended up arching in the air, only for the older woman's outstretched hand to catch it. It shook its head, as though to clear it, before slithering into her sleeve. Anko's furrowed light-brown eyes and frown made it clear she was displeased about something.

Then again, so was Karin. She met the woman's gaze with her own. "What's the big idea?"

"You weren't paying full attention to me," Anko said, crossing her arms. "Otherwise you would have noticed that constrictor snakelet I summoned while we were walking around, or the fact that I've been gesturing to it a couple of times. I assume you were using your sensory ability?"

Karin averted her eyes at having been caught. That was one flaw of her power, the fact that it was dependent on her active attention. With the majority of her attention halfway across the village, a seal-less variation of a summoning technique or gestures could slip through the net if it was something small like that. "It's not like I didn't hear everything you said."

"Your ability is already a security risk as is; especially since there's no obvious signs its active barring your attention shifting. And, given what I've read, I'm assuming you're using it to violate the blonde-brat's privacy by spying on him now, aren't you?"

"I'm not spying on him. I was just…." She trailed off as she realized that mentioning she was just observing him while he wasn't aware, to see if he was still in the village and doing well based on his chakra-levels, may not sound better.

Anko sighed. "If you're going to waste this chance you've been given then we may as well just give you the boot now. You'll be a liability more than anything else."

"I'm not trying to waste it," Karin said. "I want to stay here and I'm doing my best to prove it."

"Then I'll only tell you this once: when I'm in front of you, I demand your full attention as your overseer for the duration of your probation. Anything less is a mark against you. And if we're out of the village or undergoing an assignment, it's an automatic trip to the Hokage to have him rescind his generous terms."

Karin's teeth clenched. This woman clearly had no intention of making life easier for her. There would be no third chance either.

Anko continued after letting the threat sink in. "Even if the Hokage seals the records, the fact is you _were_ a spy for Sound and Grass. That's two villages that you've betrayed to put yourself into a better position here, regardless of the circumstances. Anyone who knows that much will be leery of your loyalties to this village, and most of those people are in a high enough position to influence your life here in ways that will make you wish you were in a cell. Keep your priorities straight and don't screw up even a step, otherwise you'll be gone."

"…Yes, Ma'am," she said again, cutting off her Mind's Eye. "You have my full attention."

Looking her up and down with analytical eyes, Anko nodded and then pulled out a small notebook from her overcoat pocket. "This is your lifeline. It's a schedule for the week listing, among other things, when you are free to sleep, leave the premises under watch, and your training regimen. At the end of every week, I'll assess your behavior and determine what the next week will look like. There's also a list of rules on the back that change depending on how well you behave too."

Karin caught it when she tossed it to her underhanded and then opened it. The time was broken down into hours, with a majority partitioned to studying, physical training, and chakra training. There was also an hour given for the three meals and bathing, and six hours of sleep. That left her only an hour of free time a day.

Her lips pursed. That was barely enough time to do anything. She flipped to the rules and saw that she couldn't even go visit Naruto if she wanted to. "I get not being able to bring anyone to the house, but why am I not allowed visit Naruto? We're from the same clan."

"Because it's a privilege that you need to earn," she said simply. "Besides, he's a Chuunin now. That means he'll be away a lot more often and you'll need to learn to be less dependent on him. It'll do you more good in the end."

Karin reluctantly nodded. There was no point in arguing, even though she really wanted to. Besides, she could just use her free hour to check up on him with her power and make sure he was okay. "What am I supposed to be studying?"

"Things we expect from Genin native to the village," she said. "If you're going to live here then you need to know the history of the village and take a citizenship test. So you'll be brushing up on that and a few other topics, and one of your choice that's geared towards what you want to do in the future."

"I'm going to be a sensor," Karin said. "That's what you have planned, right?"

"Your abilities might be useful as Hell in tracking targets, but there's no telling what's going to happen in the future," Anko said. "In a worst case scenario, you might end up crippled or traumatized from an incident and thus become useless in that aspect. Or you might choose to retire and be a mother, what with only two of your clan left. So you need to study up on an alternative path in life to take as well. I myself am working on earning a teaching license in my free time."

Karin's Mind's Eye becoming unavailable was _theoretically_ possible, if unlikely. The trauma of losing her home did subconsciously instill a means of turning it on and off after all, so it was possible that she could lose the ability to use it entirely if something even more traumatic than that happened. But the chances of that were so slim that they may as well have been nonexistent.

"Fine," Karin said. "I'll follow your rules and schedule to the letter."

"Good." Anko gestured to the room on the left. "Then get settled into your room. That schedule kicks in starting tomorrow."

 **[0-0-0]**

Sasuke walked down the back-alley streets of the Hidden Leaf as he made his way back towards the abandoned district that he called home. He had been cleared from the hospital now, his arm healed and his mind stable. The lucky one of those attacked that day, the nurses said to pad out the silence as the memory of his encounter with Itachi haunted him.

He'd thought he'd gotten stronger. No, he knew that he had. However, it hadn't been nearly enough to pose a threat to his brother. It hadn't even taken Itachi five seconds to swat him like a fly.

His hand rose to the crook of his neck, where the sealed Cursed Mark dwelled. It itched every now and again, reminding him that it was still there. He couldn't help but wonder if things would have gone differently if he had access to the power within it.

The itching died down as he reached the mouth of the alley that gave a clear-view of the entrance to the district. It was normally devoid of life, barring the stray cats that occasionally wandered in and out freely, chasing down the rats that had made themselves the new residents of the abandoned buildings. That wasn't the case this time.

Sakura was standing with her back against the wall, cradling a small package in her arms. Had she ran there to arrive before he did? Either way, she straightened herself out when she saw him coming. "Sasuke, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." He came to a stop in front of her, hands in his pocket. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see if you were okay after everything that happened."

"Like I said, I'm fine. I just need some time to think. _Alone_." He made sure to stress that last point.

The slight downturn in her eyes showed she got the underlying message. Still, Sakura extended her hands with the package in it for him. "At least take this. I figured you'd like food more than flowers."

He took it and looked inside. They were basic senbei, simple rice crackers that looked handmade. Did she make these for him?

"…Thanks," Sasuke said reluctantly before he entered the district without observing her response, making his way further in. His destination was the home where he lived with his parents and brother before the slaughter. Entering the room where his parents died, Sasuke sat down and just stared at the dark patches where his parents' blood had been spilled.

The memories of that night played in his head again, but he stared at it unwaveringly and let the scene play out. For too long he had been horrified by sight of their death, haunted by these memories to the extent that Itachi used it against him twice. He had to grow numb to it so there wouldn't be a third time—he couldn't fail to avenge them when they next met.

Itachi had let his reason for sparing Sasuke slip that day. He sought to drive him to the edge of despair and allow that to grant him greater eyes. Those very same eyes that he planned to pluck from his skull and once more take everything from him.

Sasuke wouldn't let him win. He wouldn't allow it. That meant he had to get stronger and purge himself of all his weaknesses. And there were three obvious ones that he had carelessly allowed to take root inside of him.

Looking back, the mission to Wave was the starting point. He took what should have been a mortal blow for someone else, an act that would have denied himself the chance to avenge his clan had Haku not been too soft. The Forest of Death was no better.

Naruto… Sakura… Kakashi… He had allowed his team to get closer to him, to the extent that he simply couldn't let them die if it came down to it. He'd made them prime targets for Itachi to kill when he returned. Worse, when he was around them, he could almost forget the tragedy and his purpose for seeking power.

That couldn't stand. Dropping the gift he received from Sakura onto the ground, fire leapt from his lips to engulf it. The glow of the flames illuminated the darkness of the room as he remained fixed in place, once more burning into his eyes the motivation for him becoming an Avenger…


	31. Chapter 31

**Another Chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

With a steady breath and a calm mind, Sakura breathed in slowly as she sat on her bed cross-legged after waking up. It was part of her morning practice that she had been taught by Kurenai. Her eyes were closed, her focus centered within the blank canvas of her imagination as she slowly began the process of molding Yin chakra within her body.

The art of illusion was one that was subtle, whether it was using one's creativity to dictate the perceptions of reality for a foe through internal techniques or weaving into the world that which dwelled within the mind. Sakura chose to practice her external technique for this morning's exercise, using her chakra as the paint and her room as the canvas.

The Yin chakra seeped out of her tenketsu and coated the room, becoming a film that covered the walls and forming a territory where the effect could take hold. Connected to her mind through the chakra, vivid imagery took shape before she locked it into place. Opening her eyes, Sakura found herself sitting within a forest as the sun rose over the treetops with the Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings technique.

Though it seemed perfect, careful inspection revealed there was a flaw in the illusion with the leaves and bark holding the same patterns. It was a mistake that could cost someone their life if seen through on the battlefield. That was unacceptable.

Had she been overambitious to the extent that her mind overlooked something so simple? Or was she distracted by something else? Footfalls caught her ears before she could figure it out.

Sakura dismissed the illusion and her room came into view again as there was a knock on her door. "Yes?"

"Breakfast is ready," her mother, Mebuki Haruno, said through the door.

Sakura got dressed and went to the dining room. There she noticed her father's absence. "I thought Dad was due back last night?"

Her mother shook her head. "No, it would seem that his mission has been extended due to some complications near the border to the Land of Sound. But he sent a message saying that he'll be fine and sends his love."

She supposed it couldn't be helped as she sat at the table. While her mother had retired from being a kunoichi, her father was an active shinobi. Despite not being ranked higher than her, he was a senior shinobi with years of experience under his belt compared to her few months.

"Are you visiting the hospital again?" her mother asked, making small talk.

"Kakashi-sensei should be getting ready to be released and I wanted to see him and Lee before I went to see if there were any D-rank missions available for me to take alone, since our team is dissolved for the time being. I should work on raising the number of missions under my record while I can."

While she could try asking Sasuke if he wasn't doing anything at the moment, after yesterday she doubted that he would accompany her on something like that. Kurenai-sensei would also be recovering at the moment and not liable to teach her anything new, plus she had her own students to train. And Naruto was undergoing private training now that he was a Chuunin.

"We should go shopping together sometime, just us girls," her mother said, looking at her clothes. "I think you could use a change of clothes since you're growing now. Or maybe something to suit your shorter hair?"

"It couldn't hurt…" If anything, Sakura imagined that her mother felt lonely with her father gone. And it had been a while since they'd done anything together. "Sure."

"Of course, we still need to find another shop that sells our usual style of clothes as well." She held her hand to her chin. "Zhen had been such a wonderful tailor. It's a shame she didn't make it…"

Sakura stopped eating when she heard the name of the older woman. It brought up a feeling of guilt in the pit of her stomach.

Her mother took notice. "Is something wrong?"

Sakura shook her head and then forced down the rest of her food before heading out towards the hospital, after a quick stop to Ino's family flower shop to pick some up for her teachers. Since Kurenai's room was closer, Sakura decided to visit her first. Hinata, Kiba, and Shino were there already when she knocked on the door.

"Sorry if I'm intruding," Sakura told her as entered the room when Hinata opened the door.

"Not at all," Kurenai said, sitting up while her other students sat before her. "You're as welcomed as my other students. I just wish that it was in a more pleasant setting than a hospital room."

"I bought a get-well bouquet, but I should have expected you'd have received some already." To be exact, there were two other bouquets already on the stand next to her bed, one of which was… roses?

"I'm rather fortunate to have so many people care enough to bring me flowers," Kurenai said, accepting them tenderly. "Have you been keeping up your training since last we met?"

"Yes, ma'am," Sakura said.

"Good. You have a lot of potential in that field. With the use of a few supplementary techniques, I feel that you'll almost certainly make Chuunin during the next exams."

Kiba chuckled a bit. "Well, if Naruto could make Chuunin it should be a cinch for the rest of us next time around."

That comment earned him a few stern looks, but it was Hinata that spoke up. "He worked hard to earn his rank. You shouldn't say it like it was easy, Kiba-kun."

"Jeez, I was kidding," Kiba said, rubbing the back of his neck at being chastised. "Me and Naruto are cool. We even hashed things out over Ramen last night to celebrate with the squirts he hangs out with. If you don't believe me, just go ask him a few doors down."

Sakura blinked at that. "Naruto's here?"

"Yeah, Akamaru caught his and Sasuke's scent when we were on the way in." He tilted his to the right. "They lead to your Sensei's room."

Sakura pardoned herself and then left out of the room to go see her team. The door to Kakashi's room opened abruptly before she reached it. Sasuke walked out and past her, towards the exit, without a word.

Then Naruto came out of the room. "Sasuke, you can't just—" He noticed Sakura. "—oh, Sakura-chan. You're here too?"

"I came to visit Kakashi-sensei," she said, turning her head to Sasuke's back as he walked away. "What's wrong with Sasuke?"

Naruto frowned. "He came saying he wants Kakashi-sensei to teach him how to use his Sharingan better and then left out when he agreed. He didn't even bother saying 'get-well' or anything. "

Hearing that, she was reminded of how he was during the early days of their team formation. "You mean it's like he's going back to how he used to be?"

"Just give him time," Kakashi said, standing at the doorway in a hospital shirt and pants. His mask and eye covering were on his face too, as per usual. He fixed his gaze on Sasuke. "The encounter hit him rather hard on a personal level and he's feeling anxious. Once he's had time to settle down, everything will be fine."

Sakura wanted to take his word for it, but had her doubts to an extent. "And are you okay, Sensei?"

"If anything I'm feeling a bit too restless from all the sleep I've gotten, but once the final examination is done I'll be free to go." He walked back inside and they followed him into the room. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, he looked them over as Sakura set the flowers down on the stand by the bed.

"First of all, let me congratulate you on your promotion to Chuunin, Naruto," he said, taking in the sight of Naruto's flak jacket. "You've come a long way from how you used to be."

"Yeah. I owe a lot of people for that," Naruto said humbly. "Especially you guys. Now I've just got to live up to it, so I've been working hard to improve. I've even learned my elemental affinity and an awesome technique called the Rasengan."

Kakashi seemed to perk up at that last one. "You did?"

"What is the 'Rasengan' exactly?" Sakura asked.

"It's an A-rank technique created by the Fourth Hokage, done through shape manipulation and chakra control," Kakashi said. "If Naruto really has learned it, he would be the fourth person in history to be able to use it."

"Watch," Naruto said before conjuring a clone. He then held his hand out as the clone made strange gesturing motions until a spiraling sphere of blue chakra took shape in the palm of the original's hands. "See?"

"Let me compare it," Kakashi said as he held his right hand out and then gripped his wrist with the left hand. A spiraling sphere of his own that matched Naruto's formed. "No doubt about it. That's definitely the Rasengan."

Naruto and his clone look dumbfounded. In stereo, they said, "You can do it too!?"

"I did say you were the fourth. I was a student of the Fourth Hokage and learned it when I was young, but the technique isn't very suitable for me because I couldn't complete it. Likewise, Jiraiya was the one who originally trained Minato-sensei and was taught it as well, so I assume it was him who taught you it. How long did it take you to learn it?"

"Less than a week," he said as the clone disappeared. "I can't get it down without the clone just yet."

"It's beyond impressive that you managed to learn to form it that quickly," Kakashi told him. "It took the Fourth Hokage around three years to create it. I took a few months to be able to craft it on my own, and I could never complete the technique fully."

"It looks completed to me," Naruto said, looking pensively at it.

"I mean that the technique is in its rawest form," Kakashi said as his technique dissipated. "It lacks a nature transformation. I tried to infuse my own element into it, but it proved too difficult for even me and I created the Chidori instead to use in the war. You've come further than I could have imagined in such a short time, so maybe you'll be able to perfect it where we couldn't."

Sakura couldn't help but feel somewhat surprised that he managed to learn what was supposed to be an A-rank technique over less than a week. It had to be between when he disappeared and then came back with that woman who helped Sasuke. And Sasuke had learned the Chidori as well over the course of the month they were apart.

In comparison, she only learned a few techniques and none of them were as powerful as theirs were. It seemed every time that they disappeared from her view they were getting further ahead of her… or what if she was holding them back in the end, and they could only flourish when she wasn't with them?

"And you, Sakura, are similarly coming along nicely," Kakashi said, as though reading her mind. "You've gained practical experience in using both Yin and Yang chakra not even a full year out of the Academy. That's something few others can claim. You have a sharp mind and excellent control, meaning you'll be able to do many things with enough training. Be proud of that."

"… Thank you," she told him.

Then there was a knock on the door.

 **[0-0-0]**

Shizune tried to repress the feeling welling-up in her stomach as she knocked on the door of the last patient Her Lady had treated for psychological damage, having already cleared one yesterday and another minutes ago. But it was easier said than done. After all, the Hokage's words still weighed heavily on her mind.

He wanted her to spearhead a course for medical training, meant to serve as an introduction to those without experience so that they could perform simple treatments in an emergency situation, such as closing wounds that would either bleed-out or hinder movement. Those that had exemplary skill in the practice could be placed later into an accelerated course, enough to gain their certification in a shorter time. While it pleased her to have his trust despite being gone for so long, she had her doubts about if she was qualified to do so when she had only just gotten back.

Tonton, the small ninja pig that chose to go with her while their mistress was still at home, wiggled her snout at the door before turning to Shizune. "Buhi."

"There's someone we've met inside?" She got a nod in response before the door opened, revealing Naruto and the girl she had seen the day that they had gotten back. "Hello, Naruto-kun."

"Shizune-nee?" His slightly surprised expression turned to one of realization. "Oh, you must be the one who's here to clear Kakashi-sensei to leave the hospital."

She nodded as she entered into the room, Tonton following in her footsteps. "It shouldn't take too long. All I'm doing is making sure there are no lasting problems that need to be addressed."

That said, both Naruto and the girl accompanying him sat out of the way as she hovered over the patient and began her work diligently. Though she doubted that there would be anything wrong, given that it was Tsunade who had dealt with the psychological damage, it was good practice to follow-up afterwards. It also helped with maintaining Her Lady's anonymity.

After five minutes of thoroughly examining him, Shizune gave him a clear bill of health. "You're all clear."

"That's great!" Naruto said with a bright smile. "Thanks, Shizune-nee."

Shizune shook her head. In the end, she was just checking on the flawless work done by Her Lady. There was nothing to thank her for. She excused herself while Naruto began to talk to his Sensei about something else, making her way down the hallway, when the girl who was with Naruto came running after her.

"Is there something wrong?" Shizune asked.

"I'm sorry if I'm imposing on you, but I was wondering if there was another patient you could look at, if you have the time?" she asked. "He was injured some time ago and told that he might not be able to remain a shinobi, but I'm hoping that there might something the medics have missed that you might be able to catch."

"I… suppose I can take a look," Shizune said cautiously. It wasn't as though she couldn't take a few minutes to do so. "But if the other medics have given their assessment, I doubt I'll find something amiss."

The pink-haired girl that introduced herself as Naruto's teammate, Sakura Haruno, led Shizune to the room of a young man with bowl-cut hair and thick eyebrows, where she ran a diagnostic on him and found the reason why they have given their assessment. "I'm sorry, but you have bone fragments lodged in your spine. They're not harmful to your daily living if you don't undergo strenuous activity, but it is certainly the type of injury that will leave you unable to continue as a shinobi."

"So it's hopeless?" the young man asked in his wheelchair.

"It would require a high-risk surgery to remove them. At best, I would give you less than a fifty-percent chance of recovering if the surgeon is skilled enough." And, taking an estimated guess, even someone with Tsunade's level of skill would raise the odds to a borderline fifty-percent rate.

Yet, despite such low odds, a flash of hope appeared on the boy's face. "You mean there's a chance that I could continue if I undergo the surgery?"

"Technically, yes," she said. "But, as I've said, the odds are rather low even in the hands of the most skilled surgeon. It would be an extensive surgery and require a long period of rehabilitation, not even taking into account your recent injuries. And that's only if it's successful. If it fails, you'll die—there's no middle-ground in-between."

His eyes looked dejected for a moment, horrified even. That was natural, given that it was his life that was being wagered on what amounted to an elective surgery. There was no one who would blame him for retiring due to the nature of the injury, and he was young enough that he would be able to find a new career without trouble.

Then his expression hardened. Remaining seated, he bowed his head towards her. "Miss, if you can find a surgeon capable, I want to undergo the surgery as soon as possible."

Shizune was briefly surprised by the statement and finality in the tone of his words. There was no hesitation, despite what she said. "Are you sure that's what you want? If you die then that's it. You'll be leaving behind everyone you know and care about."

"I understand that." There was a hitch in his voice as he forced the words out. "I am… terrified of the thought of dying. The thought of leaving behind my Sensei, my team, my friends, and my family terrifies me. However, even more than that, I am terrified of the notion of turning down an opportunity such as this when I'd given up all hope until now."

His voice wavered for a pause after admitting his weakness and hesitance and fear. "I had always dreamed of becoming a splendid shinobi to protect the village, despite everything I went through. Yet, when the attack happened, there was little I could do despite knowing that there were enemies attacking the people I cared about and vowed to protect. I was forced to accept that because I believed that there was nothing that could be done. I cannot express how painful that feeling was."

Shizune's heart grew heavier as she listened to his earnest words. The sentiment was shared by Sakura, who held her hands close to her chest, and even Tonton, whose ears lowered as she stared at the tear drops that had pooled at the base of his feet.

"If I were to turn down this opportunity because I was afraid of dying, then it would be even worse than death itself," he said, falling out of the wheelchair and to his knees, placing his head on the ground in a pose of supplication. "I would be dishonoring all those who chose to fight to their last breath, to my Sensei that put his very soul into training me, and to myself for letting my fear control me. I would rather die doing all I can to protect them to the bitter-end, rather than sit out and live with the knowledge that I didn't do everything I could to once more fight for the people I care about. I don't want to have such regrets, so please…"

"…Even if you say that, there's still the matter of finding a surgeon who would consent to the operation," Shizune said as she crouched down and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I'll consult with someone I believe to be capable, but I have to warn you that there's a chance they'll also decline."

"That is all I can ask," the boy said, looking up. He was truly desperate. Not just for himself, but for the sake of others. "If there is even a slight chance of success, I will take it without regret."

Looking into the pleading pair of eyes, Shizune couldn't help but wonder if she had made things worse by offering him hope when there was possibly none to be found in the end…


	32. Chapter 32

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Jiraiya found himself frowning as he read the scroll in his grasp, a messenger toad waiting patiently at the foot of the boulder that he was sitting atop of. He was frowning even before he got the scroll, having been told by the Old Man he would be leaving for the Hidden Sand soon enough as his representative. The matter of their reparations and returning their captured shinobi had yet to be settled after all, and the Old Man was trying to put him in more political situations than he was comfortable with for when he was given the hat.

However, this scroll was one of many sent from his various spies in the neighboring nations around the Land of Sound. After Orochimaru was finally slain and the majority of his forces utilized during the invasion executed, it had been something of a chaotic situation. The various clans and shinobi that had been under his thumb were no longer oppressed and that meant they'd started fighting.

The clans would wage wars, with losers being eliminated or assimilated beneath a single banner that consolidated power. The strays would turn to banditry to survive and eventually necessitate the use of shinobi to put them down. Tragedy would leave many miserable, something that he'd seen too many times to count.

The Leaf was largely staying out of the matter because the Land of Wind was on the verge of the same thing with their primary hidden village being significantly understaffed. The new Wind Daimyo had a vested interest in preventing that if he didn't want to end up like the old one. Yet, the scroll he had in his hands now outlined that the chaos in the Land of Sound was settling at an unnaturally fast pace.

Jiraiya had been involved in a wide variety of conflicts, from wars between major villages to genocides between clans. So he knew the fallout from the Invasion should have left them in disarray for a few more months as they vied to fill in the gap left by the disappearance of the hidden village. It was an ugly thing, but something that was repeated enough throughout history that it was nearly an absolute.

Yet someone was suppressing the fighting and Jiraiya had a sinking feeling that Orochimaru was involved. They had combed the base locations they got from Karin's mind and found them devoid of anything meaningful, hastily abandoned or destroyed to cover their tracks. He may have been dead, but Jiraiya couldn't shake the feeling that his right-hand man was still operating under his thumb and carrying out his plans.

He penned a response on a smaller scroll that he pulled out his pouch. Then he handed it back to the messenger toad, which took it and then departed. That done, his thoughts turned to the more pressing matter of Naruto. If he had to depart soon, it may be more prudent to arrange for him to take a mission to gain more experience in working outside of his immediate peers. He'd have to see the Old Man about a mission that wasn't too difficult, something else to get his feet wet as a Chuunin.

A few minutes later, Naruto showed up on time for his training and raised an interesting question. "Old Sage, show me how to complete the Rasengan!"

He arched his brows in slight confusion. "You've got the basics down when you use a clone."

Naruto clarified his request. "I mean adding an element into it, the Nature Transformation. Kakashi-sensei could do it but mention that he couldn't add in his own lightning element, but since I've got wind and can use yang chakra, maybe one of them will work?"

"Ah, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised he knows it." It made sense that Minato's surviving student knew it. "But you should probably focus on getting the technique down perfectly and your own element before trying that…."

Actually, now that he thought about it, maybe he should just tell Naruto about his father. He already knew about his mother, and he had come a long way from his early days. He could keep the secret and the boy did have a right to know. "Naruto, do you want to know about your father now while we've got the time?"

The boy's expression became conflicted, a contrast to what Jiraiya expected. He actually took a long moment to think about it before he spoke. "Can it wait until Karin is with us to listen? She was with me when I learned about my mother and we're… umm…."

He was struggling to find the right word. It made sense given that one minute she was a member of his clan, the next she confessed she was in love with him. Kid didn't know how lucky he was on that front.

"Fair enough," Jiraiya decided. "Though I don't think you'll have to wait long. According to the Old Man, that woman from the Sealing R & D building is trying to get you and her to come visit so she can get some answers about those other masks soon. We can talk about it then, but for now let's talk about what you can do with Yang chakra since you can mold it too and get some practice in."

 **[0-0-0]**

Karin groaned softly as she sat down at the desk in her room. Her muscles were throbbing with agony, pulsing with pain. Anko's idea of a workout was exhausting, though it possibly explained her figure, and she wouldn't even let her use chakra because she wanted her to save it for when she had to do exercises related to that.

Regardless, Karin did her best to ignore the pain while going through the studying materials for the mandatory knowledge of the village. She had finished the section on the First Hokage and the founding of the village. There was a comprehensive look at the many clans involved in its formation, including the minor ones that had been assimilated or have gone extinct like the Uzumaki.

Now she was on the Second Hokage, who was responsible for creating many of the village's institutions and the support system that allowed it to function as well as it did. He was a creative and talented man for certain, being the creator of several techniques like the Shadow Clone (though there was no public mention of the variation Naruto knew), and possessed a unique sword of some kind that could forge a blade out of lightning that he combined with his water techniques to lay waste to his enemies. It was the attack on him by the Gold and Silver Brothers of the Hidden Cloud that was thought to be the catalyst for the First Great Shinobi War, which eventually killed him and left the current Hokage in charge for decades now.

Despite all of that, Karin didn't have too much interest in the past outside of her clan. Even then the information in the book she had here was less than that which she picked up from her independent research during the Chuunin Exams. If not for the need to do perfect on the test, she wouldn't bother going through with it.

Time ticked away with her studies until there was a knock on her door. She looked at the clock to see that it was Lunchtime. She closed the book and then left the bedroom for the dining room, where she found they were having takeout again. She ate it in silence and then thanked her for the meal.

Anko, sitting at the table with her food not even half-finished, arched an eyebrow. "If you don't like the food you can say something. I won't give you a mark just because you speak up about it."

"I never said I didn't like it," Karin said. It was true she didn't find it as appealing as her usual cuisine, but it was tolerable.

"I can tell by the way you eat." Anko leaned back in her chair. "Let me guess, the flavor doesn't suit your palate?"  
Karin supposed that was why she was a specialist in tracking and interrogation and placed in charge of overseeing her. She took notice of these sorts of things. "I'm just not used to it. Grass was the last village I was in since I was…"

"A spy," Anko finished for her. "We've already accepted that. Go on."

A soft sigh preceded her continuing on. "Since I was a spy, I had to stay low and keep to myself. No telling them about my healing abilities, no telling them about my sensory abilities, just do what I'm told by superiors and don't cause problems. I had to cook for myself since I lived on my own and the selection of herbs and spices and meats they have for sell there are different than here. When I was visiting Naruto, I usually cooked in that style as well."

"Okay then, if you're good we'll go on a grocery shopping trip this weekend," she decided. "It'll be one of your privileges and it'd probably be interesting to experience home-cooking for once. All I know is survival cooking and that usually involves catching, killing, skewering, and frying over a fire."

Karin stared puzzled by the show of lenience before mentally shrugging it off and going to the bathroom to brush her teeth after the meal. There was still studying to do and then chakra training after that. Though she still didn't get why she had to practice making Chakra Threads of all things…

 **[0-0-0]**

"You shouldn't have told him about the surgery," Tsunade told her apprentice in an exasperated tone as she finished reading the medical file on this 'Rock Lee' child. Shizune had returned from her trip to the hospital and they were in what served as the living room of their new abode within the village, with the Slug Sannin perched on the sofa and Shizune sitting upright in a reclining chair.

In truth, she hadn't been all that happy to begin with after that day's session. There were only so many times she could stand the memory of her lover's death being brought up to the surface as the root of her trauma before she lost her patience. More so considering that she wasn't allowed to drink right now, meaning that she couldn't numb herself to the pain. Then Jiraiya came in to check on her, and it took all her restraint not to throw him out of the window.

So no, she wasn't in a good mood when Shizune had come to her asking for her opinion on a medical procedure. Had it been anyone else, she wouldn't have bothered to even look at medical files or charts. But Shizune was the one person above all the rest in the village, next to the Old Man, who deserved her ear when she asked her for an assessment. She had been with Tsunade the entire time she was gone from the village and asked for little-to-nothing in exchange, so she got a pass.

"So, it's not possible to treat him after all?" Shizune asked as she continued to gently pet the sleeping ninja pig in her lap.

"It's not impossible, but there's a reason the doctors waved telling him about the procedure. No one wants to have blood on their hands or record from this type of thing. Even if I was far enough into my own therapy to not be bothered by the sight of blood, I can't say whether or not I'd be comfortable handling the procedure."

It'd be one thing if it was essential to save his life, but this was deemed an elective surgery—one with a morbidly high fatality rate, even in the hands of a skilled surgeon. The surgeon in question will be laying their reputation on the line for no reason, risking their records as well. That could hamper their ability to be allowed to perform surgeries that someone else might need it.

"I see…" Her dark eyes closed in defeat and she sighed softly, her breath tinged with regret. "Then I'll have to inform him that I was unable to find anyone capable. He and his friend will be crushed. It's a shame, but it can't be helped."

Tsunade frowned slightly as she pointed out the obvious. "Or you could do it yourself. Next to me, you're the most capable person to handle it. The fact that you could calculate the odds of success means you understand the risks and steps necessary for the extraction. If it's you then the odds will be the best they could possibly be for the boy given the circumstances."

Shizune's reaction wasn't that of surprise at the suggestion, merely reluctance and hesitation. She must've considered the option but refused to speak of it before now. That hesitation was concerning, given that a medic had to be decisive in their actions.

Tsunade closed the file and set it down on the wooden table between them. "Shizune, do you want to help this boy?"

"Of course," she said almost immediately, in contrast to before. That was something she was firm on. She wanted to help him.

"And why is it that you want to help this boy, despite knowing of the nature of his injury and having no personal ties to him?"

"I listened to what they told me about him and his struggles and how desperate he was to regain the chance to pursue his dream to help his village," she explained. "Hearing that, and how he mentioned that he had hope for the first time in a long-time, how could I not want to help him?"

"Then why are you still hesitating?" That was the key question here. "You want to help him, so you have the motivation. And you have the knowledge needed to perform the procedure, so you're capable of doing so. Knowing that, what's stopping you from just doing it? Are you afraid that you'll end up like me if you fail?"

Shizune vehemently shook her head at that. "That's not it. There's no one as great as you are in the medical arts. Even after all these years, there's no doubt in my mind about that."

"Then is it that you won't be able to meet the standard that you feel I've set?" That garnered a reaction. It clicked. Shizune had placed Tsunade on a pedestal for what it meant to be a medic-nin, even after seeing her at her worst. That spoke greatly of her faith and devotion, but it also spoke of the problem of doing so.

When you look up at someone on a pedestal for too long, it looks too high to climb for you. "Shizune, he's willing to wager his life on this because you gave him hope. He's accepting responsibility for his own decision regardless of how things go. That's how precious his dream is and he's willing to die to achieve it. The rest is on your shoulders now. You have three options from my perspective, and each one of them has you being responsible in one way or another."

Shizune straightened her back to listen.

"The first is that you can tell him that you simply can't do it and bear the weight of responsibility for crushing his dreams after giving him hope, in exchange for him living as he is," Tsunade said. "Don't lie to him about not being able to find someone else, because that deflecting it and unbefitting for a medic-nin. Accept responsibility since you gave him that hope, learn from it, and move on. The second is that you can try to find another surgeon to handle it."

"But no one will likely do that," Shizune said.

"It'll be near-impossible, but there's still a chance and it may take time—months or even years—and you'll be relying on the surgeon's skill rather than your own. Whether it succeeds or fails, they did make the decision and bear the majority of the responsibility. Not that you won't be accountable to some extent since they acted on your advice or council. Don't tell yourself otherwise."

Shizune nodded in understanding before speaking the last option herself. "And the last is that I do it myself?"

"You take all the responsibility for what happens on the table as the surgeon. It's your skill, knowledge, and motivation that you're relying on. If you succeed, he'll be able to follow his dreams and it's because of you. If he dies, then you have to accept that it happened and know that you did your very best."

Of course, in a worst case scenario, she may end up like Tsunade herself. Haunted from her failure to save someone she desperately wanted to, despite everything. But Tsunade felt that Shizune, having seen her languish in that state for years, would be strong enough to come back from it.

That in mind, Tsunade continued on in a soft tone. "That is the burden of being a responsible medic-nin that I've taught you. Every decision you make for a life is weighed against your knowledge, skill, and circumstances. There will be instances where you'll try your hardest and fail, but you have to accept that you did your best. Knowing all of that, which option would you take?"

Shizune brought her slender hand to her chin in deep thought, as though contemplating it. After a moment, she lowered her hand and spoke. "Do you really think I can do it myself?"

"Of course I do. If I didn't think you were capable, I would say as much." That was a necessity for a medic. They had to be honest about their own ability and be willing to take the weight of a life into their hands. "Given enough time and practice, I'm sure you'll surpass me thoroughly."

That was the role of an apprentice after all. That was why the Old Man trusted her with that program. And the bulk of the reason Tsunade agreed to come back here and go through all of this.

Dan's niece, her apprentice, couldn't reach her full potential if Tsunade was weighing her down instead of propping her up. So she needed to pull herself together. That way she could guide Shizune even further.

At least until the apprentice finally surpassed the master in the end.


	33. Chapter 33

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

"Sensei, you got that mission for Naruto?" Jiraiya asked as he entered the Hokage's Office.

"Yes, I have it here," Hiruzen Sarutobi said as he finished looking over the mission requirements for the scroll in his hand before rolling it back up and handing it off to his disciple. "It should keep him occupied until you get back and the two accompanying him are seasoned Chuunin as well. Not that I'm expecting trouble, but one can never be too careful."

The mission itself was a simple one, a standard mission from the Land of Honey to help cull the numbers of honey badgers. The normally small creatures were known for their attitude and viciousness and resilience, but in the Land of Honey the long-lived ones often grew to a much larger size than typical, with some of them being as large as bears. Between a hide resistant to blades, a fierce attitude, and limbs large enough to crush bone with a swing, these larger ones often necessitated being eliminated before they could plunder the hives or harm the local population.

That being said, normally only a couple would come out from hiding every year. This year was an exception. There had been at least a dozen sightings and ten casualties, not to mention the number of beehives that got cleaned out by them could damage their economy in the long-term if not stopped.

"Thanks," Jiraiya said, slipping it into a pocket. Then he noticed the weary look on the elderly shinobi's face. "What's wrong? Not sleeping?"

"There was a minor skirmish with shinobi from Stone by the border that was repelled," he said. "I believe they were prying to see if it was possible to take advantage of recent events. All-in-all, it's nothing too major or unsurprising from Onoki, but I'm hoping he won't press this further. "

Jiraiya found himself frowning pensively at that. It wasn't unexpected, but with the issue of dealing with Sand and the fallout of Sound could spread their forces thin from a military perspective. "Do you think that it'll cause problems later on?"

"Onoki is no fool," Hiruzen said. "As long as the Leaf remains strong and the matter with Sand is dealt with quickly, he will not push his luck. After all, a prolonged conflict will only serve to leave his own borders open to an assault given the past grievances the other villages have with his own. "

Their reputation among the major Hidden Villages was well-earned for a reason after all. Virtually every alliance that they'd had turned sour as they backstabbed one village after another to the extent that should a war break out, they'd have enemies attacking them on every side. Then again Cloud was no better things, and the only reason Mist was less of a factor was because they were across sea and had more ground to cover if they wanted to attempt something.

And that was only covering the major villages, not the minor ones like with Sound had proven. It only served as another reminder that, despite this supposing to be a time of peace, every nation was just looking for an opening…

Then again, was the Leaf better than them by a large margin? He'd done things that he wasn't proud of in the past. Things that wouldn't wash away no matter how much time passed. Just about every shinobi involved in warfare had, building grudges that would carry on—a hero in one village was dreaded in the other.

He hated it. Jiraiya hated that from the perspective of a Hidden Village, every other village was an enemy in the grand scheme of things. Even while things were considerably better than they were in the past, they were still far off from a world of peace. Still, he had hope that, by the time he was as old as his sensei, they would make some more headway.

Pushing that aside, Jiraiya turned his attention to a more cheerful topic. "Then that just leaves the subject of the masks that are in the Sealing R & D's possession."

"Yes yes. I've already discussed that with the necessary parties," he grumbled. "You have made Miss Tsuda a very happy woman, for the record. She's looking forward to learning of what capabilities the rest of the masks have, as well as their origins if possible."

That woman was occasionally far more enthusiastic than even Jiraiya was comfortable with, but she was the most qualified for the task. It's a shame that none of Kushina's sealing ciphers or primers had survived the destruction of their home during the Nine-Tailed Fox's rampage. She'd probably be a sealing master herself in due time, at least academically speaking. Practical use was a different story, and she seemed to prefer studying lost arts to recreate them rather than combat use.

"Then I'll go give this to Naruto and be on my way to Sand," Jiraiya said. "That way we can sort this mess out once and for all. Hang tight until then."

"Be quick, Jiraiya."

Leaving the office after bidding his mentor farewell, he made headway to Naruto's apartment and knocked on the door. When the boy answered, Jiraiya noticed Naruto looked a bit slack with his eyes slightly droopy and he had a bandage on his head. "Now why do you look so tired? You're normally all-but bouncing around."

"I tried to do what we practiced with Yang chakra and spent all night working on it…" Naruto covered his mouth as he yawned. "It's really tiring since it uses a lot of stamina and takes a bit of time to boost myself up to it, plus I kind of overshot and hit a tree because I wasn't used to the sudden shift. It's a lot different from when I use the fox."

"That's probably because you're relying on your own chakra and instincts while its chakra carries its influence and instincts. But if you get it down properly, it'll make you a lot faster and stronger without relying solely on the fox." He pulled out and handed over the mission scroll for him to take. "Anyway, here's a mission from the Old Man. You leave out tomorrow for the Land of Honey."

"Awesome!" Naruto said with a bright grin, even before he opened the scroll. "My second mission as a Chuunin. I bet it's something like infiltrating a hideout or something like that."

"It's nothing like that. You've still got less than a year under your belt, and outside of wartime we leave that sort of thing to more experienced candidates." Jiraiya then proceeded to give the overview of the mission in question, rehashing the discussion that he had with the Old Man. "So it's not all that hard, but it gives you a chance to explore outside the village and learn about different types of missions first-hand."

"It sounds simple enough," Naruto said, less enthusiastic than before as he looked over the details. "Still, second mission as a Chuunin. I should buy some souvenirs to bring back for everyone else."

"You can get some gourmet honey snacks there for a decent price if you know where to look," Jiraiya said sagely. "In my travels, I've found that many women appreciate sweets and their honey-soaked lemon slices, honey cake, and honey rice crackers were excellent gifts."

"Sakura-chan and Karin-chan might like those, I think. Not sure about the others though."

"You got everything you need already?" Jiraiya asked, getting back on topic. "No need for spare kunai, sealing scrolls, things like that? It's important to be prepared even if the mission is simple."

"Yeah, I got everything." He rolled up the mission scroll and set it down before going over to where his flak jacket was and opening the pouches. "See, I packed them into the scrolls ahead of time since I don't know when I'll be called into action."

Jiraiya took a look at the scrolls in the jacket pockets. Because they were small, the scrolls in question were only able to store a few things in comparison to a larger scroll. Space and volume mattered when it came to the subject of storage, as well as the formula depending on what was to be the contents of the script. You wouldn't use the same formula to store water as you would your equipment.

"I'd suggest not having everything put away in a scroll," Jiraiya advised him after checking over his equipment. "The time it takes for you get them out can be fatal. But other than that, you're good to go."

Then he rose to his feet. He had to be on his way after all. "Once I get back we'll stop by the Sealing R & D and then go out to celebrate your mission success and talk about your father. Do a good job and listen to your seniors on the mission, you might learn something."

"Yeah, I know," Naruto said. "See you when you get back."

 **[0-0-0]**

Sasuke arrived at home later that evening, after training. His mind hurt more than his body, a mental fatigue that made his brain pulse within his skull. It was an unpleasant feeling in a different way than he was used to, and he took poorly to the fact that Kakashi's single eye had managed to get him to do something as outrageous as balancing a scroll on his nose like he was some kind of trained animal.

True to his word, Kakashi had begun teaching him the use of his Sharingan to a greater degree. And he was starting with the use of the Eye of Hypnotism aspect that he utilized on Zabuza, working on the ability to inflict subtle suggestions that can influence an opponent. Or outright control them if the user was skilled enough, as Kakashi had proven.

The eyes acted as a lens in that case, but there was a subtle art to it that didn't come easily to Sasuke as the Eye of Insight aspect did. He would actually rather work on reading techniques and learning to mold his chakra to the appropriate affinity so that he could utilize it, expanding his arsenal to new heights. But Kakashi, the man known to have copied over a thousand techniques, refused on the notion that ironing out the flaws in his suggestibility and shoring up his ability to handle genjutsu would be more important in the long run. Sasuke begrudgingly had to agree with him there—more so after he showed him the photo he took of the previous mentioned balancing act, which Sasuke promptly burned to ashes.

Of course, no matter how hard his head was pounding, he immediately flung a kunai on reflex the moment that he sensed a presence that didn't belong in his home. The sharpened point disappeared with a meaty sound and then a wooden thunk, going through the body and pinning itself into the floorboards beneath it. He turned on the light afterwards to find that it was merely an albino snake, with the kunai having pierced it through the skull for an instant kill.

At least, he thought it was an instant kill before the flesh began to bulge and then slink from the rear towards the wound made by the kunai, where a smaller snake broke through it and then slithered out. It was decidedly creepy, even by his standards. He readied another kunai just for the revulsion factor.

Only the sound of a familiar voice stopped him from throwing it. _"I would appreciate it if you didn't slay my relay serpents, Sasuke-kun. They are quite difficult to produce."_

"You're Kabuto, aren't you?" he asked, to which the serpent bobbed its head. Sasuke couldn't help but scowl. "What are you doing in my home?"

 _"My apologies. However, I wished to discreetly contact you and it was the most efficient method that I could use."_ The serpent's beady red eyes looked him up and down before fixing its gaze on where his seal was located. _"I have come to collect you so that we can advance the Cursed Seal that Lord Orochimaru gifted you."_

There was a mild pulsing sensation from the Cursed Seal upon hearing that, held in place by the sealing script around it like a ring of thorns turned inwards. Sasuke brought his hand up to it before giving his answer. "I refuse."

Somehow the serpent managed to display what amounted to a surprised expression before composing itself and asking a simple question. _"Are you giving up on the power of the Cursed Seal?"_

"I have no intention of doing that." After all, he needed every advantage he could get if he was taking out Itachi in the future. The Cursed Seal's power was a secondary source of chakra, a booster that could heighten his physical strength, stamina, reflexes, and more. The battle against Gaara proved that much.

However, two things stopped him from accepting his offer. The first was, as mentioned before he needed to learn to use his eyes properly. "The only one who can teach me to use a Sharingan is someone who has one, and that's Kakashi. No matter what power I gain from the Cursed Seal, it won't replace being able to properly learn how to use the Sharingan from someone who has it. So until I've learned everything that he's capable of teaching me, I won't budge on that."

The second thing was that he didn't trust Kabuto as far as he could throw him. Not for a second. The man had managed to deceive them at the Chuunin Exams, and the fact that he'd done so easily enough to sucker all of Team 7 made him wary of whatever the spy had planned for him.

"And then there's the fact that one who gave me this mark is dead," Sasuke added. "He tried to take out the Hokage and failed, so what good will learning from you have in the end?"

The snake stared in him in a pensive silence after that declaration. Then it rose up slightly. _"I see. So, you place the value of strength on being able to surpass one's enemies and there is no meaning in learning from one weaker than another in your presence, is that right?"_

"Yeah, that's right."

The snake began to chuckle. _"Then by that standard, there is no one greater than Lord Orochimaru and no one more suitable to teach you what you desire than him. For you see, Sasuke-kun, Lord Orochimaru has surpassed an enemy greater than the Hokage or the village or even your brother. He has surpassed death itself, thus he is by all accounts the strongest individual in this world."_

Sasuke found himself contemplating his words and what the weight of them. Kabuto actually sounded like he believed that to be possible, but dead was dead. He'd seen enough of his clansmen fall that fateful night to know that much. "You're insane if you actually believe that."

The snake shook its head. _"He may have lost this… skirmish with the Hokage due to the Toad Sannin appearing, but he is immortal and can merely attempt again after learning from his mistakes, so what of value was lost? I shall prove it to you in due time, Sasuke-kun."_

Sasuke took a step back as the snake suddenly set itself ablaze. The emerald flame was unnatural, bursting from the scales to slowly devour itself and the serpent corpse that it emerged from.

The final parting words that it uttered left a chill running down even his spine. _"The next one to contact you will be Lord Orochimaru himself. Take in as much knowledge and training that you can and become a pupil worthy of Lord Orochimaru's tutelage by then, because once things begin there will be no turning back…"_

The snake vanished entirely after that. It didn't even leave ashes behind, making Sasuke question just what was the point in doing that if they were so hard to make in the first place. That guy made no sense. He stared at the spot a moment longer before activating his Sharingan to ensure there was no other chakra signatures within his household before he rubbed the sealed Cursed Mark on his neck that settled down.

 **[0-0-0]**

"I must admit, that hadn't gone as well as planned," Kabuto noted as the medium he used to speak and see through the serpent went inert. He was in a base that was in a secure location far from prying eyes and unknown to all but a few—aside from the test subjects squared away.

He had to chide himself for the momentary lack of composure after the plan went off rails, but he supposed it couldn't be helped in the end. The original plan had been to have Sasuke sign a contract with the Snakes and then use that to reverse summon him out of the Leaf without anyone being able to track him down. From there he would use him to revive Orochimaru from his seal and then use him as a vessel.

It would have been the perfect recovery in the end, denying the Leaf one of its assets and ensuring the Sharingan for his master. He'd have the perfect body, the perfect eyes, and with the Land of Sound being brought to heel, it would have been as though nothing had happened.

However, Sasuke's wariness put a delay in that plan. Oh, it was a minor setback in the grand scheme of things as long as he desired power and would eventually come around. In fact, it might be better in the end if his body was allowed to mature and his chakra reserves to fill out as well.

Still that left the matter of reviving him through Plan B, with the other candidate in Leaf that would serve for that purpose. Considering that Anko was currently watching Karin, it would be two birds with one stone—reclaiming both the young women that had abandoned his service and putting them to use. The only real question was merely how to lure them both out of the village at a suitable time and location.

Tapping his fingers on the desk for a moment as he formulated a plan, while going over some of Orochimaru's other projects that could be of use, a smirk came across his face. It would do just fine. "Let's get the greatest prison-break in the Hidden Leaf's history started."


	34. Chapter 34

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

The Konoha Strict Correction facility was used to house criminals of the Leaf that committed treasonous acts or murders, the worst among the worst that didn't warrant a sentence to Hozuki Castle or execution. During the current time of peace, the number of criminals was minimal and so the facility was downsized and placed within a volcano. There the prisoners' chakra was devoted solely to keeping the heat from overwhelming them as they tilled the soil futilely.

Of course, in the wake of the Invasion, the smaller size meant that the addition of the Sand captives led to a serious overpopulation problem. The cells that could fit two-to-four prisoners easily were now cramped housing five-to-eight each, with former Leaf prisoners being placed in one set and captives in the others to prevent any unnecessary casualties among the two. Needless to say, none of them were happy.

So you have a single facility filled with trained killers that lost their leader, lost their war, and were stuffed into overcrowded prison cells nestled within a volcano. How much havoc could they cause in a short time if they all got loose and scattered about, taking their revenge against the Land of Fire as a whole? How much manpower would it take to bring them all to heel?

That was the question that came to the minds of the ANBU and Medical Corps shinobi midday as they looked over the battlefield that the correctional facility devolved into sometime during the night, when their guard was at its the lowest due to the majority of the prisoners being asleep and behind bars. They'd only received notice something was wrong when the shinobi that came to change their shift arrived to find corpses strewn about.

Some were impaled by golden arrows and kunai, others were withered husks. The watchtower was filled with bodies that had been crushed by blunt force and some looked like they had numerous bite marks from razor-sharp fangs. The equipment used to contact the village itself was sabotaged upon inspection, so even if they had tried to they couldn't have alerted the village before the change in shifts.

They dispatched a team to send word to the Hokage personally, unable to trust that a message would make it without being intercepted any other way. The rest combed the prison for any survivors to explain what happened and who was responsible for this. There were none to be found.

 **[0-0-0]**

In the village proper, Anko found herself staring down at the golden chain of chakra in her charge's hands with a raised brow. It wasn't very thick and was roughly the width of a finger, with each link being smaller than that. "And it just came out when you tried to do the Chakra String exercise?"

The girl at least looked as confused as Anko did as the length of the chain increased. "I followed the instructions, focusing on sending my chakra out as densely as I can and to maintain it a straight, condensed form. It hurt the first time, since my tenketsu aren't used to trying to force chakra that dense out, but it turns out like this every other time."

"You're really just full of surprises." She grabbed the length of chain between both her hands and pulled it a few times to test how durable it is. "Well, it's fairly tangible, but I wonder how it stands up against someone with chakra?"

Tightening her grasp, Anko channeled chakra into her hands to strengthen them… and felt nothing. Her hands were numb compared to rest of her body until she released the chains. Only then could she feel it flowing back into her hands. "It interfered with my ability to use chakra just from touching it."

Karin grabbed the chain and started fiddling around with it in curiosity upon hearing that, wrapping it around her wrist. "I don't feel anything different. Then again, it wouldn't make much sense for something made from my own chakra to suppress itself. Maybe it only works on foreign chakra then?"

Anko's thoughts were racing on the implications of this and what sort of other effects it could have. Would the effect increase with the size of the chains? Would it work on different types of chakra? And more importantly, did the Hokage know about it, given that it was part of his guidelines that she underwent training in using Chakra Strings?

"I think I should go tell the Hokage about this. It seems like something he'd want to know…hm?" She trailed off as there was a knock on their home door.

Opening it revealed an Anbu Officer with a scroll in hand. She took the scroll and looked it over as the deliverer vanished, and her expression turned to a frown. "Gear up. We leave out in five minutes."

The sudden change in her tone caused the younger kunoichi to look up from the chain that she had formed into a seamless loop by connecting the ends, causing the chakra composing it to meld together. "Is something wrong?"

"There was a massive prison breakout so they're calling in every shinobi that's capable of tracking and sensing and assigning them to different sectors that they've divided the Land of Fire into before the inmates can cause problems that reflect on the village or try something stupid." She looked up from the scroll towards Karin with a stern glance. "You remember what I told you about being out on assignments, right?"

"I do," Karin said, letting the chain dissipate. "But if I haven't encountered their chakra before then I won't recognize whether or not I should be looking for them. All I can do is point out if they have chakra or not."

"That's fine. Any questioning or fighting will be done by the Anbu accompanying us, while I'll be watching your back to make sure nothing happens to you if it does come down to a fight. We're going to be moving around a lot since you've got decent range on your sensing ability, so you need to focus on not missing anything if you can help it, got it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

 **[0-0-0]**

"Sorry about this," Naruto said with his hands clasp together as though to offer a prayer to the Honey Badger roughly three times his size that laid before him in a lifeless heap. He couldn't say he was fond of the vicious bear-sized creature, but he still didn't exactly enjoy having to kill it. But that was the mission he and a pair of other Chuunin, Hayase and Okei, had taken.

While they had arrived earlier that morning in the Land of Honey, the trip had been something of an awkward affair since his partners were roughly twice his age. But they were pretty straightforward with explaining how they operated on this sort of mission, having done it a number of times before. They marked a map he had of the local area with spots that the big ones usually nested in and decided that they would split up to cover all of them as quickly as possible once night fell.

"One more to go," Naruto said with a sigh as he finished enclosing the corpse in a sealing scroll that Okei had given him. The Chuunin was apparently familiar with a variety of sealing formulas, as proven when Naruto asked him a question about it. He immediately regretted it when he ended up having to listen to an hour-long speech about the difference in the formulas and how they affected the containment, preservation, ejection velocity, etc.

On the plus side, now he knew how to make a simplified single-item storage formula that could fit on a sheet of paper the size of a business card. He used them to keep his masks, sealed in separate sheets with their names on each one, in his pouch. That made carrying them around much easier since he didn't have to rummage around in his storage scroll for them.

Setting out to the next spot marked on the map, searching for any trails that would lead him to the last target, Naruto came to a stop when he heard a strange sound cutting through the air from behind him. He turned around and squinted his eyes, only to register what it was only a second later. "Whoa!"

He jumped upwards as an oversized shuriken whizzed by where he had stood and wedged itself into a tree. It was an unmistakable attack against him. Landing in a crouch, Naruto turned in the direction that it came from as he reached for his kunai pouch. "Who's there!?"

 _"Take a guess,"_ a familiar voice whispered from behind him.

 _It can't be,_ he turned around to see the stretching limb and spread fingers flying forward from the ground, but too late to react as it struck. The fingers of the stretching hand closed around his neck and carried him several meters across from his landing spot into the trunk of a tree. The impact wrenched the kunai from his hand and a pained cry suffocated in his throat as his consciousness flickered upon hitting the back of his head against the tree. "Grkk!"

"I can't tell you how long I've wanted to do this." A figure emerged from the ground seamlessly. "I've had dreams about squeezing the life out you, Nine-Tailed Brat."

Naruto's quickening pulse skyrocketed as he laid eyes on the man who had betrayed his trust, revealed the secret hidden from him, hurt Iruka, and tried to kill him. He was far more muscular and broader than Naruto remembered, stripes lining the muscular frame at certain points and eyes narrowed into slits. But it was him no doubt.

A snarl bubbled up in his throat as the name forced itself out through his gritted his teeth. **"Mi… zu… ki!"**

"Glad you remember me," he said, tightening his grasp to cut off Naruto's windpipe. The boy frantically tried to wedge his fingers between his neck and the broad fingers slowly strangling him to death. "Because I haven't forgotten how you ruined my life!"

 _"You… ruined it…_ _ **yourself!**_ _"_ Naruto gathered chakra into his hand and fingers, bleeding it through the tenketsu, and then repeated the training steps he used to cut through leaves to sharpen the chakra. The rushed and desperate act resulted in cutting into both his fingers and the set around his throat.

The flexible hand retreated, blood running from the gouges from where the sharpened wind-chakra parted Mizuki's flesh. "So they taught you some new tricks huh?"

"How did you… get out of prison?" Naruto panted, working to level-out his breathing as he picked up the kunai and held in a defensive position. The dull throb in the back of his head, the hot blood that ran from his hands where he'd cut himself in haste, the bruised flesh around his neck, all the pain he was in slowly fell to the back of his mind as he stared at the man in front of him. "And what did they feed you in there?"

"Like my new look?" He tightened his fist to flex the muscles in his arms. "This body is the result of the power bestowed upon me by the knowledge of Lord Orochimaru."

"The snake guy is dead," Naruto said. "The Old Man made sure of that."

"Believe that if you want. It doesn't matter. What does matter is that when I was sprung from prison, one of his men gave me what I needed to attain this power in exchange for doing them a little favor first. So you and I are going on a little trip… after I've worked out my frustration, of course."

It wasn't hard to guess who it was that gave Mizuki whatever power he was going on about and wanted Naruto brought alive. There was only one person alive that would do both while flying under Orochimaru's banner. The moment that Naruto came to that conclusion, the air grew tense. A feeling of anger blossomed in his chest and the cuts on his fingers sizzled softly as they healed over in a prelude to what was to come. "That bastard Kabuto is behind this, isn't he!?"

A slight chuckle left Mizuki's lips at seeing the anger becoming tangible in his visage. Confident in his own newfound power, he didn't fear it. "I wish Iruka could see that look on your face right now. Even he couldn't confuse it for anything less than that of a monster."

"Tell me where he is!" Naruto ordered, feeling the same anger that beckoned his Tailed-Beast cloak in his voice, which no doubt reflected on his face. He hadn't forgotten how Kabuto had been the one to activate that seal that ended up causing Karin pain. Nor did he forget how she'd nearly blown herself up to try and take him out. Just remembering it was enough to get his blood boiling, and it was only the memory of the sort of monster he'd became and nearly killing Sakura that stopped him from reaching out for that power to tear the location out of Mizuki's flapping lips that instant.

Mizuki extended his hand, palm facing up as though offering it. "Don't worry, I intend to take you there personally. But first, I want to test out my power against that of the Demon Fox."

The two glared at one another with clear hostility that mounted with the looming silence as one attempted to restrain himself and the other urged the change while drunk on his newfound power. Only the distant crashing sound reverberating through the trees broke the tension. The rational part of Naruto latched onto it and recalled that was where the other two Chuunin had gone off to finish their mission, likely to be victims of a rampage should he lose control.

"I brought two friends of mine along with me," Mizuki said, following his side-glance. "That sound you hear is them tearing your comrades apart. They had poor luck taking a mission with you."

"… Then I don't have time to waste playing with you," Naruto said as he made the Cross-Seal. Shadow clones popped into existence and surrounded him. Two of them broke from the group to follow the distant sound of destruction and search for his teammates. The rest swarmed Mizuki like a tidal wave.

The sight only served to put a smirk on Mizuki's face that bared his fangs. Then he exploded into motion, fast enough that Naruto barely registered as the memories of the clones in front of him popped half-a-second before the man was in front of him with his fist cocked back. The world blurred as one of the clones pulled a Substitution and took his place.

 _That was close,_ Naruto thought as his mind caught up with the swap. He was faster than Naruto had predicted, and if the clones didn't have some ability to make their own judgment it would have gone poorly. The rest of the clones tried to swarm him again, only for Mizuki to bat them aside until he spotted the sole one standing still and moved as quickly as before—likely pegging him as the original.

Naruto's instincts screamed for him to use a Substitution the moment he lost sight of him. It proved to be the right call as he received the memories of the deceased clone afterwards. _It's only a matter of time before he catches me. I'm going to need to deal with his speed and finish this quick._

Naruto went over his options in the span of a second as he swapped places again. Getting Byakko out of the sealing slip and mask would take three seconds at the least. That sort of time wasn't an option while Mizuki could close the distance at the obvious tell. Not to mention if he was in touch with Kabuto, he'd likely been informed about Byakko and has a countermeasure ready.

 _So that leaves something he can't know about._ Naruto had already exposed he could use wind-chakra, so that was out. That left the Rasengan and the thing he was working on before he left the village. The former could likely end the fight in a single blow, but Mizuki was fast enough that Naruto was struggling to keep track of him. The latter could probably surpass Mizuki in terms of speed, but it took time to convert enough yang-chakra for it to manifest properly and last for more than a minute.

 _As long as I can stop him from moving they both should be able to work though,_ Naruto decided as another set of clones disappeared between a swap. An idea came to mind, though he wasn't a fan of it. _As long it works, it'll be worth a hit or two._

He created ten more clones, giving the appearance that he was trying to pad out his losses. Each of them was instilled with the plan as they pulled from his thoughts on creation. One dispersed immediately, spreading that knowledge to the surviving clones which acted it out.

Naruto threw himself forward and swapped places with a clone, leaving it to scatter along with five others. Mizuki took note of their departure and made to give chase after them, suspecting that he was one of them. Naruto used that opportunity to fling explosive-tagged kunai at the six in a spread-shot, since he didn't know which one Mizuki would go after. At the same time, he felt a pair of clones raiding his pouch from behind for the concussive tags he had there.

Six explosions rang out, stopping short of the clones as they used the foresight to escape the blast radius with a well-timed burst of chakra from their legs. Mizuki, with his clothing scorched from the proximity of the blast but otherwise unharmed, immediately wheeled around to try and strike down the one that threw it. A Substitution put Naruto out of range as one of the tagged clones took his place and was dispersed by the blow, resulting in a chain-detonation as Naruto used a Body Flicker at the last moment to get clear.

The shockwaves from the explosions threw up a dirt and dust veil. Memories of the clones that were sacrificed flooded Naruto's mind as what remained of their chakra spread to the rest. The surprised look on Mizuki's face at the last moment left him _wanting_ to believe that it was over, and that his extra measures were unnecessary.

That belief was summarily crushed as Mizuki abruptly shot of the ground like he was breaking the surface of water. The man was slightly injured and furious, that much was clear as he lashed out with the back of his fist. It connected with Naruto's head and pain bloomed where the blow had caught him before he hit the uneven ground with a loud thud.

A haggard breath left Naruto's mouth as his sight returned just in time for him to see Mizuki's foot descended to stomp on his chest. Even with chakra flooding his body in reflex to the impending blow, the force still jostled through his body as it passed through. The ground caved in around him as he let loose a pained cry padded out with blood. "Agh!"

The sound etched a cruel smile onto Mizuki's face. He was reveling in the superiority of the moment, intent on drawing it out as he pressed down. "The Leaf's standards must've really fallen since I got locked up if someone like you made Chuunin because of a few cheap tricks."

 _"That you… fell for,"_ Naruto said with a wheeze as a set of memories suddenly flooded his mind. One of the six that he had dispatched earlier was watching the scene unfold and dispersed to signal the counter-attack. He used his hands to brace Mizuki's leg and then anchored himself to the ground with chakra to hold him in place as clones broke through the surrounding brush from the four cardinal directions.

The biggest issue was that Mizuki was too fast to properly hit. But he wasn't like Neji, whose eyes let him peer through a trap or had that spinning defense that took him by surprise. A textbook ambush would work just fine once he could no longer evade by sinking into the earth or jumping away, which was accomplished by baiting Mizuki at the expense of taking a hit—even if it was sooner than planned.

Being attacked by all four directions with only two hands and one leg free, Mizuki could possibly fend off three of the four attacking him now. The fourth would hit no matter what. Between all of them carrying kunai laced with wind-chakra, each and every one of them could cut him down.

"You think this is enough to take me down!" Mizuki, angered at the thought of being outmaneuvered, lashed out while caught between the four-pronged attack. He brought his other foot up, placing all his weight onto the original's chest, to catch the one attacking him from the front.

His left hand turned into a fist that he brought down with all the might he could manage to smash in the head of the one attacking the left. Reaching for his oversized shuriken that fit just right in his other hand, he swung it to cut the third one down. That left his rear exposed to the last one.

The clone was positioned perfectly to drive it into his unprotected back… at least that was what _should_ have happened.

Instead, there was a loud popping sound as Mizuki's right arm turned boneless from all the joints dislocating. The limp arm still holding the large shuriken stretched around like a living serpent, guided by his chakra. It promptly cleaved the clone's head in half, causing it to disperse along with the technique.

Certain of his victory, Mizuki grinned down at the younger shinobi and his lips moved to gloat…only to be promptly thrown off so abruptly that he was in the air and spinning before he realized it. Righting himself and landing in a crouch, his confusion only served to grow in the face of the boy rising to his feet while wreathed in a thin yellow aura like sunlight given form that bled from his skin.

 _The timing was too close,_ Naruto thought as he looked down at his hands and body in disappointment. The death of the fourth clone served as the trigger for the fifth, which had devoted itself to converting all the chakra it possessed into yang-chakra as quickly as it could, to dispel itself as a next-to-last resort. The net result was _supposed_ to be a sudden influx that flooded his limbs with vigor, threaded his muscles with strength, sharpened his senses and reflexes, and numbed the pain as his body healed at a heightened rate—but Mizuki catching him with that kick too soon and fending off the fourth clone like that cut it short.

"That must be the power of the Nine-Tailed Fox, right?" Mizuki asked regaining his composure after being surprised. "He mentioned you could do something like that, but I was expecting… more."

Naruto shook his head. True enough, it was based off his time spent while wreathed in the Nine-Tailed Fox's power while trying to kill Kabuto. That strength and speed were when he was at his strongest to date, but that sea of anger and murderous desire robbed him of reason. So he took Jiraiya's advice and the training that he'd went through with Karin and Sakura to form a means of reaching a similar state without the corrupted and malevolent influence.

His own chakra reserves could be used to attain a similar form. He'd practiced and ended up running into a tree as a result to confirm it. But in this case it was both rushed _and_ divided by a third due to the existing clones seeking his teammates, so he couldn't even form a chakra arm or make another clone because it would spread the yang-chakra too thin to reach a heightened state.

 _But it's good enough like this against him,_ Naruto concluded as he stared up at Mizuki and clenched his fists. "You should be grateful that I'm in this state instead of using the Fox's power like I planned as my last resort."

"Oh and why's THAT—" He lunged for Naruto with abnormal speed at the final word to try and catch him off-guard. Yet his charge was met with a cross-counter as Naruto's fist greeted his face eagerly. Mizuki was then sent crashing through a tree a few meters behind as a result.

"Because I would have torn you limb-from-limb already," Naruto finished. "And if I do that, I can't get answers from you. So let's wrap this up and you tell me where exactly Kabuto wanted you to bring me, okay?"


	35. Chapter 35

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

"I hope those guys can hold on until we get there," the first Naruto clone said as he bound through the trees towards where the other two Chuunin were supposed to be.

He was being followed by the second clone, who was rather to the point in his response. "I don't hear anything further ahead so either they've managed to come out okay or we were too slow. Either way we should hurry… really hoping it's not the second option though."

The two clones that were dispatched to investigate the status of their mission teammates were kept relatively updated with the original's progress because of all the dispelled clones that were having their memories spread around. And, because they were created relatively early in the battle, they also held a bulk of the original's chakra that had yet to be returned. This afforded them a little more leeway in how they could handle the situation, whether engaging in combat, acting as a distraction, or creating Shadow Clones of their own to dispel and transfer the memories should the need to do so arise.

However, they were not expecting to be attacked by plumes of some kind of gas bound into a serpentine form that was dense enough to be seen. The surprising sight was enough to briefly give them pause before the pair split to the left and right with chakra-powered hops. The slithering, sinuous mass of gas split into two and gave chase.

"I think that might be poison," the second clone said as he dodged the lunging gas that branched out into four tendrils. They didn't seem to be autonomous so they had to be controlled by someone.

"Obviously!" the first clone said as he molded and gathered wind-chakra into his palms while avoiding his own winding set. "I'm going to scatter it to thin it out! Hold your breath and charge in!"

However, as if triggered by their words, the gaseous poison bound into serpentine forms abruptly halted before they could touch the pair. Then they were reeled back, swallowing themselves like a vacuum was on the other end. The clones took the opportunity to chase them to the other end and see that one behind the attack was actually Okei.

"Apologies… _uh_ … Uzumaki," he said in a strained voice. He was kneeling on the ground with one chakra-coated hand hovering over a small scroll like they carried in their flak jackets, and the purplish gas was sinking into the sealing script at the center of the array there. His other arm was being shrouded in medical-chakra as Hayase worked to heal the damage that looked fairly bad, what with bone sticking out of it and all. "We didn't know how many… _agh_ … were left."

"What happened?" asked the first clone.

Hayase jerked his head over to where two large figures were half buried in the ground, dead to the world like fallen logs. "These bozos attacked us without warning. We tried getting answers out of them, but the sheer stupid made questioning a pain, and when we tried to regroup they cut us off and slugged Okei with a mean punch. One solid hit did this to his arm, so we decided to take them out the same way we do the larger Honey Badgers—covering their faces with poison while restricting their movements. They could only hold their breath for so long."

His squinted eyes turned to the pair. "What happened on your end? Were you attacked?"

The clones gave them a brief report as more information filed in until they abruptly started glowing as the final spare clone dispelled itself. The first Naruto clone looked down at the film of chakra covering him. "We should disperse if these two are okay. That should send the excess chakra and memories back to the original."

The second clone stopped him. "The sudden rush might throw him off if he's still in the middle of fighting Mizuki though. Just create a clone and then disperse it. The memories should go to all of us and the flux won't be great enough to throw off the balance of yang-to-normal chakra… I think."

"Sounds good enough." The first clone popped a single clone into existence and dispersed it just as quickly. "In hindsight, we really should have tested how this works with pre-existing Shadow Clones, huh?"

The second shrugged. "Maybe we should have found a way to store it all at once without the need for doing it like this…" He tapped his chin in thought. "Actually, can you store Shadow Clones as they are in a scroll? I know that some techniques can be—"

"You know that's kind of weird talking to yourselves like that, right?" Hayase pointed out as he continued working on the other Chuunin's arm. "If the original you is still fighting then go where you're needed. We'll be along in a bit."

 **[0-0-0]**

The taste of copper permeated Mizuki's mouth as he spat to the side, leaving a mix of blood and saliva on the ground. Then he took a deep breath to numb the pain and gather his thoughts to figure out what just happened. One minute he was advancing, the next he was aching and hearing the brat making demands. The fact that, _yes_ , he lost in a contest of power and speed to some kid that didn't even manage to graduate under normal circumstances took a moment to register.

 _That shouldn't be possible._ He could still feel the wellspring of power within him from the potion he took. The amount of chakra leaking out of his body was so potent that his muscles and senses were heightened as a mere side-effect. It didn't make sense for Naruto to be strong enough to keep up with him without using the Nine-Tailed Fox's power. _He has to be lying._

Blinking away the spots in his eyes, he noted his head hurt as he looked at the boy in the distance that stood in a relaxed stance. His cerulean eyes had a mild golden tint to them that somehow gave the impression that he felt no fear or need for concern. That was insulting in every sense of the word, giving birth to anger within him that drove strength into his body.

Wiping the remaining blood away from his mouth, Mizuki staggered onto his feet and covered up the nervousness he felt with bravado. "Not bad, brat. I actually felt that."

"Then it's a good thing I didn't go all-out," he said back, a cruel calmness to his voice as the chakra coming from him flared for a moment and thickened somewhat. "You're frailer than you look in that state and I don't want to kill you since you're the last one alive that can answer my questions."

"We'll see who's frail when I get my hands on you!" Mizuki poured chakra into his legs for an explosion of movement, only for him to feel pain again on the side of his head like someone took a hammer to it. The world blinked for a moment as he twirled on his grounded leg and then regained his balance and sense of awareness. Right in time for his feet to be swept from underneath him as Naruto went from a low leg-sweep to a rising kick into his abdomen that stole Mizuki's breath.

 _This can't be happening,_ he thought as he fell to his knees in pain while struggling for breath. Looking up, he met with the disinterested eyes of the boy again that was mocking him and the strength he had attained through the knowledge of Lord Orochimaru, who recognized his drive and potential. It infuriated Mizuki even further. He swung his fist in an attempt to knock the perceived smug off boy's face with all his might.

Naruto wordlessly deflected it with his forearm. Then he thrust his opposing knee out in a flash towards Mizuki's broad and exposed chest. It hit hard enough to knock him backwards with a pained sound escaping his lips.

 _This can't be happening,_ he thought again as he reconsidered his options in a hurry. He could try genjutsu and then attacking him from behind. But first he needed to get away. So he sank earth-chakra into the ground and began to slip below the surface—

"Not this time."

—only for a comparatively small hand to grabbed him by the hair and fling him through the air, into another tree that broke under his weight and momentum and crashed down on him. He managed to push the heavy trunk off of him just in time to hear the tagged kunai burying itself into the bark. It detonated a half-second later as he tried to get away from the explosion with a hurried Body Flicker.

Fire and force engulfed him for a moment. Trails of smoke wafted from Mizuki's body as he was thrown off his feet by the tail-end of the explosion, hitting the ground some distance away from the blasting site. He looked up as charred splinters rained down to see Naruto walking towards him in a deceptively slow-pace.

"Ready to talk yet?" he asked plainly, throwing four yellow-rimmed tagged kunai around Mizuki. A fifth appeared in his hand and when it received chakra the other four formed a film around the man to act as a makeshift prison. "At this point, it's clear you simply can't win. Tell me where Kabuto is and I'll settle for leaving you locked away rather than dragging this out further."

Mizuki gritted his teeth at the thought that the brat wasn't even taking him seriously. He pounded at the film of chakra to no avail. Trapped and toyed with by the former failure of his class, Mizuki's anger peaked at that point and he tugged on the power within.

In response, his muscles swelled further. Orange fur began to cover his flesh, lined with black stripes. His fingernails sharpened to claws, his teeth stretched into fangs, and his face became bestial as more tiger features set in. Thrumming with power Mizuki roared, chakra lacing his very voice to the extent that the resulting sound wave tore the tags of the kunai apart and freed him.

 **"Now who can't win?"** he said with a sneer as he towered over the comparatively tiny shinobi, on his knees and holding his ears. **"I'm going to rip you to shreds!"**

 **[0-0-0]**

 _Owwww_ , Naruto thought as he uncovered his ears and rose to his feet. The force of the roar had made his ears ring to the point that his brain itself trembled, taking away one of his sharpened senses. He made a mental note to work on that as Mizuki, whose frame had grown even larger and feral, lunged for him like a… well, tiger, obviously.

He was slow. Even slower than before. Naruto managed to get around the blow easily as Mizuki brought his clawed hand onto the ground. The packed earth shattered fairly deeply to create a crater as a result.

 _He swapped speed for strength then?_ Naruto mused as he reached into his shuriken pouch and flung a handful of them at the very large target. Mizuki didn't bother trying to block them as he went after the younger shinobi again. Just as well, they didn't even pierce his skin or graze the flesh that was taut against corded muscles. _Okay, I'll just treat it like the battle with Gaara when he was partially-transformed._

Dashing forward and sliding under the incoming arm, Naruto reached into his pouch. He pulled out a pair of concussive tags to use as knuckledusters and rammed his fists Mizuki's torso before firing them off. The recoil of released kinetic force from the tags made his arms buckle as the slips of paper tore themselves to shreds, but the yang-chakra reinforced his body from any further damage as the directed shockwave did its work.

Mizuki, who was already aerial from his lunge, was thrown back forcibly. Blood left his mouth as the force shot through the corded muscle beneath his skin to hammer organs and rattle bones. Yet, he managed to dig into the ground with his claws and upturned a trench as he slid to a stop.

Naruto brought his hands around to his pouch for another pair while doing a mental count of how many he had left for that approach. He had four tags of that nature remaining, with the rest being the explosive variety. As long as he avoided hitting the heart or head, he should manage to avoid killing him—at least that _was_ the plan before Mizuki rose to his feet looking no worse than before as the point of impact steamed. "You can heal quickly too?"

The dark chuckle that the tiger-man made pretty much answered that question while he patted the area down. Then he roared again, loud enough to be heard around the woodlands. The fierce scream blanked-out Naruto's vision as it assailed his senses until he covered his ears. In that space of time, Mizuki crossed the distance and was getting ready to drive his claws into the younger shinobi's skull.

The pull of a Substitution saved him as one of the clones took his place, a spiraling sphere of chakra in its hand. It twisted its body underneath the surprise assault and delivered the rising Rasengan into Mizuki's torso, right where the concussive tags had gone off. The spiraling mass of chakra dug into the strengthened flesh, grinding against it fiercely while the clone pushed as hard as it could to send Mizuki spiraling into the air, screaming.

The first clone dispersed itself. Memories flooded the original of its return and the plan it formulated with the second clone, which broke from cover to run over to just under the point of launch. He ran towards it and then leapt into its cupped hands. The moment his foot touched down it threw him as hard as it could, strength bolstered by the yang-chakra that had permeated it. Then the second clone dispersed as well.

Naruto ended up rising next to Mizuki with both his arms chambered and fingers laced. The excess yang-chakra from the two clones swelled the aura he wore around himself to the point of being a few inches thick. He gathered and condensed it all onto his fists and slammed down into Mizuki's unprotected back.

The golden hammer-blow flared as contact sent the tiger-man rocketing right back down to earth. The impact shook and upturned the ground, throwing up a cloud of dirt. It slowly rained back down as Naruto eventually landed at the rim of the crater that formed with Mizuki at the center.

 _Please don't get up again,_ Naruto thought. His muscles began to ache as the last of the yang-chakra burned out from the assault, but it was tolerable. He would be beyond sore in the morning though.

Mizuki started moving, pushing himself off the ground. His body began to steam, accelerated healing at work… and then his bulging muscles began to shrivel and wilt. His skin darkened and wrinkled as though he was being desiccated to the point of mummification before he barely managed to flip onto his back.

 _"Ahhhaaa…"_ His voice came out as a dry rasp. _"Wh-what's happening…?"_

Naruto had no clue whatsoever, but it looked bad. Fortunately, the other two that were slower than his yang-empowered clones arrived. He turned to the only healer of the group and asked, "Can you see about him? He's the only one left and he knows something."

Hayase complied, leaning down over the wheezing and frail-looking man Mizuki had become. Medical-chakra shrouded his hands. He held them over Mizuki's chest and began his work.

Okei walked up next to Naruto and adjusted his glasses with his good hand. "What did you do to him?"

"I just hit him hard," Naruto said. "He had transformed himself into this tiger-man form and it made him hard to hurt, plus he kept healing himself. I just needed him to stay down."

"The damage done to this guy is mostly internal," Hayase said. "His chakra network has basically torn itself to shreds from the inside out and his body is deteriorating on a cellular level. You don't get that kind of damage from brute force. It's more than likely they were forced over their limit and were constantly straining to keep themselves together until they just couldn't anymore, probably from the transformation and healing you mentioned."

A dry wheeze left Mizuki's mouth as he tried to raise himself up but couldn't.

"Don't bother," Hayase told him bluntly. He didn't have a reason to show sympathy given what transpired. "The more physical activity you try, the faster your body breaks down. As it is, you've only got minutes to live at best, and that's only because I'm barely slowing it down. We're too far away from anyone skilled enough to save you."

Hearing that, Naruto approached Mizuki before he could pass away to get answers. "Tell me where Kabuto wanted you to take me and what he's planning!"

 _"N-Never…"_ he muttered weakly.

Naruto scowled. Even on his deathbed he was being spiteful. But before he could say anything else to try and get Mizuki to talk, Okei placed a hand on his shoulder and led Naruto a few steps away from the dying man to talk.

"Tell me, what sort of man is this person?" he asked quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"Your clones gave us a brief report on him and why he came, but they didn't go into what sort of man he is. From just now I could gather that he is quite a spiteful individual, but that can be used to our advantage providing we know the angle to approach."

"...He wants power?" Naruto offered after some thought. "Like a lot of it. To the point he betrayed the village and then came after me just because someone else promised it to him. Does that help?"

"The ambitious-type… I can work with that. Stay here."

Naruto watched as the older Chuunin walked over to where Mizuki was and crouched down to whisper to him. Whatever was being said was below what he could hear, leaving Naruto to simply stand there and focus on molding more chakra from his spiritual and physical energy while he waited. His awareness snapped back to the other pair of Chuunin when the light of the healing died minutes later.

Mizuki… wasn't moving and his eyes were closed. He was gone. Hayase unraveled one of the scrolls meant for storing human corpses and proceeded to enclose the dead body inside of it.

Okei watched for a moment longer and then approached Naruto. "Do you have a way of contacting the village as soon as possible?"

"I can summon a Messenger Toad." They had a direct line to the village from what he knew. Naruto began the hand-seals and partitioning off the appropriate amount of chakra for the summoning when he received a nod telling him to go ahead. "What did he tell you?"

"A prison break was executed by agents of the Hidden Sound, with himself being the sole one pulled aside for capturing you. It was done in the middle of the night over a day ago, which is plenty of time for them to scatter out. I'm not certain if the village is aware, but the information needs to reach the Hokage as soon as possible."

Naruto slammed his hand onto the ground. Sealing script etched itself onto the grass. A red toad with blue marking around its eyes and a pair of goggles appeared in a puff of smoke.

"Kosuke, reporting for duty," the toad said. "You got a message you want delivered?"

"I need you to deliver this, along with a storage scroll, to the Hokage as soon as possible," Okei said as he set down a scroll and started jotting down the information on it. "It is of the absolute importance that it reaches his eyes only as we suspect there is an infiltrator."

"What will we do next?" Naruto asked. The mission had clearly gone awry.

"We're heading back to the village as quickly and carefully as possible," Hayase said, coming over with the scroll carrying Mizuki's corpse. "With the prisoners of war and other inmates freed, the number of hostile shinobi wandering around the Land of Fire could number hundreds. And since none of us are Trackers or Sensors, the best thing we can do is get you back inside the village walls where this won't happen again."

"I guess that—" Naruto froze at that moment as realization set in. Kabuto had sent Mizuki after him. Leaving aside that meant someone had to leak where he was going for his mission, having so many prisoners getting out meant they'd have to send out _everyone_ capable of tracking and sensing available—and that likely included Karin. "That bastard!"

Naruto pulled out the sealing slip that contained Byakko's mask and popped it out. Using the same gash he made for the summoning to unlock the mask, he summoned forth the white tiger. Byakko came to a stop behind him as he looked over to Okei after the toad disappeared in a puff of smoke to take the shortcut back to the village. "Where'd Kabuto want him to take me?"

Okei shook his head in response to the question as he rose to his full height. "Telling you would be the same as doing the job for him."

"You don't understand, I think they're going after another Sensor by doing all of this to lure them out and grab them. If the village already knows about the escapees then they've probably sent her ahead."

"Then we'll have to send another message," he said. "If she's already in the field and your reasoning is valid, they'll assemble a retrieval team and bring her back to the village."

That didn't help rid Naruto of the underlying anger and unease that he felt. Karin was terrified of going back and for good reason. Just the thought of the things Kabuto did during the Invasion was enough to get his blood-boiling, but when he thought of her going through that after finally getting a chance to start over, he could barely keep himself from shaking with rage.

Byakko craned its head towards him at sensing the rising anger through their spiritual link. _'Are they enemies?'_

Naruto shook his head as he mounted the tiger, soundlessly responding back through the link. _'Karin's in trouble. I don't know how to find her.'_

The white tiger turned to the east. _'She is that way, but far.'_

Naruto perked up at that. _'How do you know that?'_

 _'The spiritual link from her last use is faint and non-active. But the connection is how we identify those of Uzumaki Blood and remember them. Through that I can find her.'_

 _'That's good news.'_ Naruto gave the other two a side-glance while they were discussing something in a hushed tone. He doubted that they'd be onboard with the plan forming in his head and Byakko would be weighed down by them anyway. He turned his attention back to Byakko and asked, _'Can you reach her before burning through your reserves?'_

 _'Most likely at full-speed. It depends on terrain between us.'_

That made sense. It boasted its capability was speed when Karin had summoned it the first time, so running was what it was good at. Though, given how things became a blur after a certain point, he'd have to leave the steering to Byakko and anchor himself down.

Naruto realized he would probably get in trouble for this, abandoning these two to save her. But Karin was being hunted and didn't even realize it. The thought of losing the first family he had… the first girl who told him that she cared for him that way… he couldn't do it.

 _'Just don't abandon me, or I won't have anything left.'_ That was all she asked of him when he saw her after everything that happened. It was a simple wish that he promised he would live up to. Nothing would be worth it if he couldn't keep that promise and save her when the chance to do so was there.

His resolve solidified. Even if he got into trouble, he could live with the consequences of that. As long as she remained alive and out of that bastard's hands. Anchoring himself with chakra, he gave the order. _'Run as fast as you can to her.'_

Byakko crouched low and its muscles tensed. The other two took notice of the sudden change. But before they could even get words out it was too late. The white tiger exploded into motion, upturning the ground beneath its feet as it became a white blur.

 _I wish I kept my goggles,_ Naruto thought as the rushing air whipped at him violently, threatening to tear him from his mount if he hadn't anchored himself. They were moving faster than he'd ever done so before, to the point that the blinding wind even threatened to crush his eyes if he didn't squint them. But he didn't have Byakko slow down in the slightest.

Instead, he lowered his riding posture until he was hugging Byakko as tightly as he could while they sped off into the night…


	36. Chapter 36

**Another Chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

"Which way?" asked the male Anbu Officer, adorned in a tiger mask, racing ahead of Karin.

"To the left and further ahead," Karin said, her breath ragged as she struggled to keep pace with her handler and the two Anbu Officers accompanying them over the flat lands at a frantic rate. She was exhausted at this point, having been running around all day.

Tiger sped forward while making seals and then slammed his hand into the ground. Earth chakra sank below and then warped the soil beneath the chakra signature that they had been chasing. That newly formed stone then began to ascend an explosive rate, forcing the signature upwards until he broke through the surface.

The prisoner, a man with black hair and a rugged scar, then proceeded to turn in the air towards the chasing party. Karin sensed he was sending chakra into the stones that he had in the palm of his hand and destabilizing them. "I'm not going back to prison!"

"Look out!" Karin shouted as he tossed them. They broke off to the left and right before the stones exploded from the inside out. Falling at an angle, the stone shards had enough momentum to punch through the hard-packed dirt as they rained down.

The prisoner then landed while making hand-seals to mold his earth chakra before he slammed it into the ground. The abundant amount of chakra spread over a wider area in a mere moment. The soil was collected, hardened, and transmuted into shaped stone just beneath their feet.

"It's an area-wide attack!" Karin shouted before a series of blossoming stone spikes rose into the air like columns in an attempt to skewer them all from below.

He looked towards Karin, eyes narrowed in realization. She felt him gather chakra into his hands before thrusting it into the nearest structure. The act caused the chakra holding the stone spikes to collapse into soil once more, creating a vast dirt cloud that obscured their vision and hindered their ability to breathe.

Choked for breath, Karin felt his chakra signature rush towards her while coated in a secondary layer. She couldn't scream or shout a warning without suffocating either while in the dirty veil. So she tried to run away with her eyes closed towards Anko's chakra signature.

Her handler took notice apparently, since a pair of serpent-outlined chakra signatures coiled around Karin before pulling her out of the lingering cloud of dirt at a surprising speed. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes to see the growing silhouette, which Anko flung a trio of kunai at. They bounced off as he cleared the earthen veil, revealing he was clad in stone like armor, while sliding along the ground that became mud at his feet—intending to kill Karin to ensure his escape.

Tiger promptly proceeded to erect a wall of earth in front of the beeline charge, tripping him up as Anko grabbed Karin and darted to the side. His stumble was brief and the prisoner quickly got back onto his feet. But that was a moment too late as the female Anbu, Bear, rushed in with a pair of chakra blades that crackled with lightning. She rammed them into his chest, and Karin felt his chakra signature die out even before Tiger followed up by taking off the escaped prisoner's head with his sword.

Karin sighed as it was finally over, falling to her knees in exhaustion and relief that she was still alive. Not only had she done more than her fair share of running, but that hadn't been the first one who tried to take her out when they realized she was the one responsible for tracking them down. She really wasn't suited for the front-lines.

"Good work," Anko said as she passed a ration bar to Karin while the other two proceeded to deal with the corpse. "That makes five today."

"That was terrifying," Karin said as she unwrapped it, musing on the events of the day. That was a miniscule amount given the sheer number of escaped prisoners of war, but they had enough squads and other shinobi available that each of them catching that amount was enough to significantly dent the majority that was still around. The rest had likely fled the Land of Fire by now and were a less immediate concern. "Even the last one didn't get that close to me or get this far away."

"He wouldn't be a former Jounin if he couldn't do that much." Anko shook her head in disappointment as they finished sealing the corpse up, head and all. "I recognized him from some time ago, but he used to be one of ours until he got caught trading secrets to Stone. The war was over and his service record was good enough that they opted not to execute him."

 _And apparently the prison was considered bad enough that he opted to try and fight his way out than go back,_ Karin thought silently. Her Mind's Eye was still active to observe for anyone getting the drop on them, which was why she picked up the serpent-shaped mass of chakra slithering their way. She presumed that it was one of Anko's summonings, given that she had sent the corpses sealed in scrolls off to the village with them and each one had a unique signature that she hadn't felt before. "One of your snakes is on the way back."

Her handler's reaction to that was to give her a mildly confused look, before narrowing her eyes and signaling the two Anbu Officers. "Which direction?"

Karin raised a brow in alarm. "From the village's direction… is there something wrong?"

"My summonings have orders to disperse after reaching the village gates and passing the scrolls along to the shinobi waiting there. They don't return that way."

The meaning behind that clicked in her mind right before the chakra within the serpent flared and suddenly became one that she recognized with the arrival of even more signatures from a summoning technique. Then pain blossomed up her leg like thorns sprouting from inside her as the Seal of Subjugation activated. Karin fell down screaming, exhaustion and hunger forgotten in the wake of unyielding agony and fear.

 **[0-0-0]**

The sight of the body-encompassing markings spreading across her red-haired charge made it abundantly clear to Anko what was happening. She had been briefed on both how Karin got that Curse Mark and how it was triggered the last time. So she knew the proper thing to do was to lower the girl to the ground gently to avoid causing her any unnecessary pain.

"The snake channeled Kabuto's chakra just now and summoned four different chakra signatures," Karin explained while rigidly lying still to avoid setting it off. "They're coming after me—he must've done something to mask it until it was close enough, since he knows how it works."

"Then focus on reinforcing the seal the Hokage gave you to stop it so that we can move," Anko said before she proceeded to perform a summoning of her own to call forth a snake-eater. It was a rather large serpent by normal standards, resistant to poison, capable of tracking, killing, and devouring smaller snakes easily. She gave it the command to hunt down the snake responsible triggering the Seal of Subjugation.

"I'm trying! But I can't until the snake making it flare up is dealt with and they'll get here before yours reaches it. One of them is coming from underground even now and another is spitting a mass of chakra out of their mouth and shaping it into—I think a bow and arrow that they're getting ready to fire!"

Tiger took the warning as a cue to raise a stone wall roughly twice their height to act as a bulwark, believing that it would be enough to stop the projectile. That was proven false when said arrow drilled through the wall with enough force that a significant amount of it shattered on impact. And then it kept going and bore a hole through Tiger's torso that Anko could see through before he fell down dead.

She bit back a swearword before Karin shouted a warning in time for her to jump back from the emerging pair of hands from the ground. The bear-masked Anbu shoved the lightning-filled chakra blades into the ground and then discharged them as an electrified web, dealing both damage and inhibiting the earth chakra that allowed the assailant to move freely. At the same time, kneading fire chakra into her lungs, Anko spat out a wall of flames to buy them precious seconds to grab Karin and run before two more figures broke through the fire to give chase.

The pained screaming in her ears from the girl she was carrying over her shoulder, due to the black tendrils of electricity ravaging her, did not help as they ran. But if they stayed and fought, then they ran the risk of her being taken. That was unacceptable since the Hokage entrusted the girl to her care. "Try and wrap your chain around yourself, see if that can help!"

She was hoping that if it nullified foreign chakra it would likely do the same to the invasive chakra that stemmed through the markings covering her body. Of course, that became a moot point when a melodious sound reached their ears from a flute. In the wake of the Invasion, they immediately took that as a sign of a Genjutsu being cast and reacted appropriately since a moment's hesitation could mean death.

Both Anko and Bear used their chakra to block their ears, stopping yin-chakra from entering them through sound waves. However, it was at the expense of one of their major senses. That would make escaping much harder unless they dealt with the flute-player.

Exchanging a glance with the Anbu Officer, Anko made a series of hand-signals and received a nod in response. Then she whirled around and jumped back while extending both hands towards the pink-haired flutist and the young man who had half his face covered by his hair. Snakes burst from her sleeves towards them a second later.

Stretching and slithering through the air, over a dozen serpents speared out from within the sleeves. Their pursuers split apart to avoid being bitten by the venomous fangs and Bear rushed in while drawing her sword. She attacked the flutist with her blade while Anko kept the other one at a distance with the striking snakes, and in the exchange she managed to destroy the flute with a well-placed slash so they could use their ears again.

However, the ground beneath them began to flip over like a massive table before they could press the advantage and kill the disarmed flutist. The wall that had been raised was then shattered from the opposite side as a stout figure broke through it, creating a rain of boulders that forced Anko to break away and run with Karin, who was no longer screaming in pain. Had she fallen unconscious?

"Tayuya, get them!" Anko heard the pale blue-haired young man order as he tried to avoid the tendrils of lightning that the bear-masked Anbu unleashed as she held back both him and the stout newcomer. "You're useless here!"

The newly-identified Tayuya let loose an indecent string of words as she threw down the halves of her flute and then chased after Anko.

Even carrying her charge, Anko was faster than the pink-haired young woman at full-speed. As things stood, with the flare of lightning from another technique showing that the fight behind them was still ongoing, she could escape. She then addressed Karin, who was hanging over shoulder, to check if she was conscious or not. "Hey! You doing okay back there?"

"Y-Yeah!" Despite saying that, there was a notable discomfort in her voice. "I have the chains wrapping around my ankle small enough to avoid messing with your chakra, and it's suppressing it from hurting me, but I can't keep it up forever."

"The snake I sent out to kill it will get the job done soon enough and that should cause it to retract. Can you tell me how the fighting is going on the other end?"

"Uhh… the woman from Anbu is fending them off for now, but I'm not sure how long she can last. The one who shot the other is outside of my range, while the chakras of the two that she's fighting are a bit off. I think one of them actually managed to absorb and attune some of her chakra to his when he hit her just now, and the other guy feels like he has two bodies in one—I think it's a bloodline."

"Make sure you take in everything you can! The information will be crucial when we get back to the village!"

"Yes ma'am—" Her voice abruptly cut off and tension threaded her body before she spoke again. "The woman chasing after us is activating a Curse Mark!"

"What?"Anko looked over her shoulder to see that Tayuya's figure was slowly being encroached by black lines. They expanded over her frame, dyeing her skin an earthen hue while her hair grew longer and wilder. Combined with the horns jutting out of her head and her eyes becoming a mix of yellow and black, it gave her an inhuman aura.

 **"Now you're mine!"** she roared as the altered form increased her speed explosively. Crossing the distance between them despite their already breakneck pace, she lunged to tackle the pair.

Before impact, Anko tossed Karin into the air while trusting that she would be able to land safely and then summoned more serpents from her sleeves to entangle and restrain Tayuya. These in particular were a myriad of different skin tones—each having a different kind of poison to ensure they killed their prey. They lashed out with their venomous fangs and elongated bodies, only for their fangs to break against her skin and their bodies to be ripped apart by the sheer strength she had.

Reaching out and grabbing Anko by the forearm with inhumanly strong fingers, Tayuya put strength into them. That alone managed to break the bones with an audible crunch. Then she mercilessly used it to swing Anko overhead and then slammed her into the ground hard enough to knock loose a pained cry.

Gritting her teeth from the pain, Anko used her other arm to bring a kunai around and flung it towards the transformed woman's dark eyes. Even if the flesh was tempered, she suspected that the eyes were still vulnerable to sharp, pointed steel. Unfortunately, Tayuya avoided it by moving her head to the side.

 **"Nice try, worm."** She squeezed the broken forearm as she lifted her back into the air, sending sharp jolts of pain surging through Anko that was only topped when Tayuya delivered a punch to her stomach that knocked the breath out of her. Dropping her to the ground, leaving Anko curled and clutching her stomach, the transformed flutist then chambered her leg to kick her while she was down.

Straining for breath, Anko could only look up as the foot came around. The only reason the swing went wide as it neared her head was because her assailant was abruptly jerked back. A chakra chain was coiled around Tayuya's throat, courtesy of Karin standing on the other end. She was free of the markings but looked nervous all the same with the chain coming from an outstretched hand.

 **"You think this weak chain can hold me!"** she said in a tone that promised pain as she clutched at the chain around her throat and pulled. The chain barely budged, leaving her to go wide-eyed as her hand and upper-torso began reverting back to normal. "What the—"

Anko tackled the younger woman with her good arm, shoving her elbow against the back of Tayuya's head to leave her face down in the dirt. She then looked up to Karin and tried to tell her to wrap her entire body in chains. The words wouldn't come out because of the punch to her stomach leaving Anko barely able to breathe, let alone speak.

But the message carried as Karin unleashed a second chain that speared through the air and coiled around the legs next as the one around her neck slithered and spiraled downwards. Not even five seconds later, Tayuya was completely bound on the ground. Then Karin came over, snapped the ends together to connect them, and saw Anko's arm.

"I don't like people doing this, but I just felt the Anbu woman's chakra signature die out and making that many dense chains has left me almost out of chakra." She crouched down and presented a spot of unblemished flesh on her left arm. "You need to bite me so we can keep running."

Anko bit down and strength filled her. Broken bone snapped into place, bruised muscles healed, and torn flesh mended good as new. She got to her feet, ignoring the shuddering moan of guilty pleasure that left the younger girl looking embarrassed when it was over, and then went over to the bound prisoner spewing profanities.

"Just wait until I get free, you—" Her threats were silenced as Anko kicked her in the jaw hard enough to knock her out. Then a trio of serpents with paralyzing venom emerged from her sleeve and bit Tayuya to make damn sure she couldn't move when she woke up.

"They're not going to stop chasing us just because we have a hostage," Karin said, looking off in the distance. "We need to go."

"We also need to know how they found us in the first place and where they came from. Otherwise it'll happen again later on." Anko finished performing hand-seals for a summoning. The moment she slammed her hands onto the ground, a snake that was roughly half Karin's size in height appeared. "Take the prisoner to the village."

She watched as the snake bobbed its head in understanding before it curved around, opened wide, and swallowed the foul-mouthed woman whole before sinking under the ground as though it was water. The stomach of the mole-snake could fit a single person inside to transport them underground, only breaching to refill the makeshift holding cell with air. But it was uncomfortable for the person inside on all accounts, as anyone who'd been swallowed whole could attest to. Even if she woke up from that kick in a few minutes, the poison would leave her unable to move and the chains would leave her unable to use any technique until it spat her out at the village gate.

Satisfied, Anko then grabbed Karin again and started running as quickly as she could. They were still a long way from safety.


	37. Chapter 37

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Sakon pressed on as fast as he could to make up for lost time. The Anbu that held them at bay had been a right pain in the ass, and he could still feel where that blade of hers managed to bite into his skin and numb his body. If not for the Cursed Mark, it might have been fatal.

Running alongside of him, Jirobo asked, "What happened to Tayuya?"

"Don't know." He had sent her ahead because she was slowing them down, but with her Cursed Mark she should have been able to keep pace with the fleeing women and at least stall them. But, aside from the battle-damage that marred the landscape, there was no trace of her. "I think they managed to take her out."

"What do we do?" Jirobo asked.

"Stick with the plan," he said. "Lead them to Kidomaru's trap, corner them, and break every bone in their bodies to keep them from running again."

"But if they managed to slip away…" The rotund teen trailed off. There was no need for him to finish. Kabuto had openly questioned their usefulness after their failure to stop the Hokage and Toad Geezer from killing Orochimaru with their own barrier. Losing track of the one that could be used in lieu of them to bring him back would just give Kabuto a reason to kill them all—or wake Kimimaro to do the job.

Sakon gritted his teeth beneath his painted lips at the thought. "Keep them in sight and attack from a distance," he ordered. "Make sure that they go the way we need them to, but stay far enough away so that whatever happened to Tayuya doesn't happen again."

Jirobo nodded his head as black triangles from his Cursed Mark began crawling across his skin like ivy, matching the encroaching lines that covered Sakon's as their speed hastened.

 **[0-0-0]**

"They've caught up with us!" Karin said from her position on Anko's back. The older kunoichi was much faster than Karin and that made a world of difference if they were going to escape, so neither contested it. "And they've activated their Cursed Marks!"

"I see them!" Anko said. She supposed it was just hopeful wishing they'd lose the pair if she ran as hard as she could, but the Cursed Mark seemed to be the bane of her existence in every sense of the word as the stout one slammed his hand onto the ground, making jagged stone teeth erupt from the ground. She darted around them and redoubled her pace to keep the distance between them from shrinking.

They wouldn't last at this rate. They had to get out from the open and off the ground before one of those earth-techniques got lucky and hit them. That was why, when the trees came into view, Anko considered it a blessing that marked the halfway point between them and safety. "Do you sense any chakra within the forest ahead?"

"No!" Karin replied. "I don't sense anything there!"

"Good, now hold your breath and close your eyes!" She reached into her pocket with one hand and tossed a small sphere bundled in paper over her shoulder, a string connected to it. A yellowish fume billowed out when she pulled it, creating a veil of smoke mixed with irritants that would sting the lungs and eyes to obscure them from sight and buy time.

From there she bound upwards, ascending the trunks to gain higher ground among the trees. The thick branches offered enough support that she could navigate them with ease. "Are they still following us?"

"I think you caught them in it. They've stopped chasing us, at least for now."

"Good." Anko wiped her face with her sleeve to clear it of sweat as she contemplated their next move. She could keep going, hoping that they could use that time to get enough distance… and then what? Getting to the village would be best, but even at full-speed they matched her with their Cursed Marks. Stamina could only be replaced with chakra for so long before she no longer had the physical energy to convert it.

Then her ears picked up the familiar sound of metal cutting through the air. In a single, practiced motion, she lashed out with a shuriken towards it, and the clash of metal signaled that it intercepted a kunai that had been sent towards them. "I thought you said you didn't sense any chakra!"

"I didn't!" Karin claimed as more flew in from different angles, only to be intercepted with shuriken. "I still don't!"

"Hop down then," Anko said as she came to a stop on the dense limb of one particularly hardy tree and crouched down to let Karin dismount her. That freed her up to handle any more surprise attacks and she held shuriken between her fingers, ready to be thrown at the next flurry of projectiles.

But nothing came as they stood there, leaving them both unnerved. Anko sharpened her eyes and ears with chakra, looking for any sign of their assailant. It was only then that she noticed the gossamer-thin strands of spider-silk threading through the whole forest and a lack of animal noise.

"Look out!" Karin abruptly said as she threw herself forward, pushing both herself and Anko from where they'd been. A loud 'thunk' could be heard as a golden arrow embedded itself deeply into the trunk, following a path where her legs would have been shot through from the momentum. Karin then looked in the direction it came from. "That was the sniper from before. I felt his chakra just now, but it's gone. He must be suppressing it as he moves around."

Anko's grip on the shuriken tightened as she realized too late that they'd fallen into a trap. "Damn, all this time they've been herding us."

"What do we do then?" Karin asked. "The other two are moving now. They'll catch us if we sit still."

She gazed off into the darkness for a moment before sighing exasperatedly and rubbing the back of her neck. "We're already inside so I guess we have to break through it. The traps can be managed, but if we stand around we'll be sniped or caught by the other two. Follow me and tell me the moment you feel any chakra."

 **[0-0-0]**

Karin struggled to keep up with Anko as the older kunoichi went ahead of her in great bound, intentionally making herself a target for the traps that could get in their way. Streaks and flashes of metal flittered in the darkness towards her, only to be deflected. That left Karin free to act as a sensor, which allowed her to get a feel for just how dire the situation was.

Anko's chakra reserves were largely stable, and she was expending the minimal amount to keep going. But it didn't change the fact that she had little over a third of what they started with when they began to flee from their pursuers. And when Karin factored in how they'd been running around all day to round up the escaped prisoners, there had to be a limit to how many more times she could mold chakra to replace what had been lost.

In contrast, the two that were chasing them were at the top of their game. Their Cursed Marks weren't active anymore, but they didn't need them to be. They'd already lured them into the spider's parlor and now they only had to wait until Karin and Anko had been cornered. They'd struggled to deal with just one of them, and that was only because Karin had managed to catch the flutist off-guard with her Chakra Chains. It wasn't likely to happen again, and she only had so much chakra left given that she was tired as well.

And then there was the sniper, who snapped to her attention the moment his chakra system flared to life and his Cursed Mark followed. He formed the construct bow from his mouth, followed by an arrow that he took aim with. She could make out that he was going for Anko just before he loosed the shot.

"Jump up!" Karin said in warning. Anko did so and the arrow whizzed by, aimed to tear her legs from under her again. It wasn't meant to be a killing shot, which didn't make sense to Karin. If they were trying to capture her, killing the person keeping her alive would be the most efficient way of doing it. So why weren't they aiming to kill?

 _There has to be more to it,_ Karin reasoned in a moment of thought. Even before she wrapped the chains around the other one, the flutist had the chance to kill Anko by simply caving in her chest with her strengthened fist, rather than knock the wind out of her and try to kick her around. Given how quickly they'd worked to kill the Anbu Officers accompanying them, the only logical reason would be… if they intended to take them both alive. "I think they're after you too."

"What makes you think that?" Anko asked without looking back.

"They haven't been trying to kill you. Not as much as they did the Anbu that were with us. But I can't figure out why they're just aiming to cripple instead of kill."

"… It's probably because I used to be one of Orochimaru's students," she said after a pregnant pause. "If there's any other reason, I can't think of it."

The reveal nearly caused Karin to stumble upon the moss-encrusted tree branch she landed on. "Wait, what?"

"I used to be one of his students before he turned traitor and received a Cursed Mark like them. Only mine was sealed like yours thanks to the Hokage. That's part of the reason he made me your overseer, so I'd be able to help you get through with it. The question is why they're coming after me now of all times."

"I thought you were just being mean to me because I was a…" Even now she didn't want to finish that statement, given she was trying to distance herself from the label and the stigma it entailed.

Anko looked back and gave her an annoyed look. "I'm not being mean, I'm being strict. And that's because I'm trying to make things better for you in the long-run. If you go through half of what I went through then you'll be facing a lot of hate for what Orochimaru has done."

"What you went through?" She adjusted her glasses as she took in the facts and brought them to a logical conclusion. "They thought you were the same as me. You weren't, but they didn't see it that way, did they?"

"The people who matter to me never thought that, but the fact that the man I once trained under had turned into the greatest traitor in the Leaf's history and marked me are still inescapable facts." She deflected another kunai with her own as she continued. "The first few years after his defection were especially hard, but even though things got better I still get the occasional looks. I'm going to have to live with it for the rest of my life."

"And so will I," Karin realized. "That's what you're trying to tell me."

She nodded. "Remember, I told you before all it takes is getting just one wrong person in power to think you're not as loyal as you should be and your life becomes even harder than it already is. I speak from personal experience and that's why I'm strict. I'm trying to train you to follow orders to the letter since anything less than perfect will cast suspicion on you."

"You could have explained it like that the first-time," Karin said. "I thought you had it out for me since the day we met."

"Leaving aside that I don't like talking about anything dealing with my past unless it's relevant, I shouldn't have to. It would have defeated the purpose of teaching you. Besides, not everyone is going to be straightforward with you. Even if they only want what's best for you."

Karin said nothing to that, instead focusing on the sniper, who was no longer suppressing his chakra. Instead, he was pumping it through all the threads. Only by trailing the flow with her Mind's Eye did she notice the funneling walls of webbing, woven of silk and reinforced by chakra to cut off all the other paths of escape. "The sniper has cut off the paths to the side and the other two chasing us are suddenly moving faster."

"They're boxing us in now."

"That's not all." She picked up what looked to be a large bundle that seemed to drink in the offered chakra, stirring life inside of it above their heads. Something was coming out. "Something's falling above us!"

Anko looked up as Karin did, where they registered hundreds of spiders the size of their fists descending. Using hand-seals to mold her chakra into the appropriate technique, the older kunoichi breathed out a stream of fire that spread above them like an umbrella as it pushed upwards. Swallowed by the scorching blaze, cinders left behind rained down as they continued running.

The web of chakra that permeated the canopy kept lengthening and hatching more cocoons housing newborn spiders, even when they tried to avoid them. Spinning lines of silk reinforced with their chakra to tighten the net that they were in, by the time Anko and Karin arrived at what would be the exit of the forest it had been completely covered in a wall of webbing. They were trapped.

"Damn," Anko said as the spiders closed in further, dotting the webbing that covered their surroundings and the canopy. The two who had been chasing them so far blocked the way they came in, and standing on the web just beneath the canopy was the six-armed sniper. She passed a pair of kunai to Karin. "I'll distract them. Make a break for it if you find an opening."

Karin took them, but didn't find the thought of ditching her overseer to save herself as appealing as she would have maybe a day or so before. Even so, fighting against these odds was impossible for them alone or together. Even if she had the chakra to restrain all of them with her Chakra Chains, it didn't take care of the fact that there were hundreds of spiders and a sniper waiting to fire down on them from above.

Despair weighed upon when she thought that this was how she was going to be dragged back, losing a second chance at a new life. But then hope sparked upon sensing a familiar pair of chakra signatures entering her range at an inhumanly-swift pace. She didn't know how Naruto found her, but she knew it was him.

"THE WEBS ARE REINFORCED WITH CHAKRA!" Karin yelled at the top of her lungs as he neared, unwilling to let him run into it blindly. "USE WIND CHAKRA TO BREAK THROUGH IT!"

There was a spike of wind-chakra in response, swirling around the speeding signatures. Then Byakko violently tore through the wall of webbing and came to an abrupt stop, displacing the wind-chakra in the form of a squall. The rushing wall of air smashed the spiders threatening to descend upon them and battered the three that sought to capture them with enough force that it blew them off their feet and deeper into the forest.

"Get on!" Naruto ordered from atop Byakko. Both of the kunoichi did so, not bothering with questions. Then, as abruptly as they appeared, Byakko shot out of the way it came and towards freedom.

"You came for me," Karin said as she embraced Naruto from behind and laid her head on his back, grateful for the fact that he showed up right when they needed him the most. "You really came for me!"

"I did promise I wouldn't abandon you," he said in a weary tone. "I figured when I got attacked you did too, so I had Byakko track you down."

Karin's head snapped up in alarm at that. She took notice that his chakra levels weren't all that high after that little stunt. Not to mentioned he looked as exhausted as they were. "Did Kabuto come after you too?"

He nodded. "He sent Mizuki, who explained he broke him out with the rest of the prisoners. I managed to beat him and send a message to the Old Man, but it took a lot of chakra to get from the Land of Honey to here in such a short time. Byakko won't be able to last much longer either."

"Pull over," Karin said. "There should be enough time for me to replenish Byakko's chakra reserves enough to get a little closer to the village before they catch up."

Naruto nodded and Byakko slowed to a crawl before lowering itself so that the three could climb down. Then Byakko returned to its sealed form and Karin began convert her remaining chakra into yang chakra, in order to fill the mask. Before she could, Anko abruptly flung a kunai close to her feet and Karin nearly dropped the mask in surprise.

That was when she noticed that a white snake had been impaled upon it. The kunai had burrowed into the brain, killing it for certain before it could sink its fangs into her. However, an abnormal amount of blood bubbled from the wound, spilling out and spreading over the ground like ink.

Karin backed away as she felt Kabuto's chakra stemming from it, turning the spilled blood into sealing script before releasing a burst of white smoke that heralded a summoning. The smoke cleared with the passing of a night breeze that rolled through the grass around them. There was now a pale-skinned young man where the serpent had been, whose white-hair swayed as he stood there and took in his surroundings.

His emerald eyes lingered on the three for a moment before he spoke. "So they failed like he expected. I suppose I'll have to bring all three of you in myself to repay the debt I owe to Lord Orochimaru."

Those same eyes locked onto Karin's and fear shot up her spine. Her instincts were screaming that he was dangerous, and that they had to escape while they could. But before she could move or react, he was in front of her with his palm on her abdomen.

"Starting with you," he said. Then there was a hot flash of pain in her stomach that rippled through her body and robbed her of the ability to breathe. A sound that her brain registered as being similar to a twig being broken in half followed as he pulled his hand away.

Karin's eyes remained fixed on her stomach, where something white was now sticking out of it. Strength fled from her body. She fell to her knees and Byakko's mask slipped through her fingers before the pain of being impaled registered and she fell down screaming.


	38. Chapter 38

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

In his tired, exhaustive state, the last thing Naruto should have noticed was the way that the air became tinged with the scent of Karin's blood. Perhaps it was a sign he was closer to utilizing the Fox's chakra than he should have been. Perhaps it was a sign he was already drawing upon it to an extent.

It would make sense, all things given. He had spent all night riding on Byakko, giving everything he had to rescue Karin in the nick of time. And he thought that he'd succeeded too, recalling her softness and warmth against his back mere minutes ago. Yet, in a single moment, this newcomer snatched it away with a thrust of his hand and tainted the memory with the poignant scent of her blood now on the wind.

It dyed his world red. Stretched and slowed his time. Set his fevered blood boiling with rage. The rancorous chakra that belonged to the Nine-Tailed Fox bubbled over like a frothing geyser, churning and heating the wind around him as the white-haired assailant extended his fingers towards him and shot something out.

A long membrane of corrupted chakra burst out to meet the white blurs in the form of a tail, constrained to his body by the shroud that outlined his figure. The bone projectiles that had been launched were dissolved within the stretching crimson, wasted away by the virulent potency of the baneful chakra. The point of the tail continued on undeterred, spearing through the air with the intention of punching straight through the pale torso of the Sound shinobi.

White hair swayed as Kimimaro pivoted on his foot. The twisting motion allowed the spearing tail to pass him by harmlessly as white blades emerged from his forearm. Using the momentum of the spin, he launched them towards the jinchuuriki while jumping out of the way as the tail curled back around to try and crush him.

The ivory blades, bones flattened and sharpened like knives, didn't make it within an inch of Naruto's skin. The dense shroud had finished forming and batted them away with contemptuous ease, as if it were a living thing. With rage shading his eyes, his facial featured darkened and bestial, Naruto was mere moments away from lunging like a rabid animal.

It was only then, only as his senses registered Karin's screams of anguish, that he managed to grab the reins of the sudden influx of chakra. The screams meant that she was alive—in pain, but alive. It was enough for him to regain his control, after the lapse brought about by the sudden surge of blinding rage, and register the presence behind him.

Anko was there, holding one hand with the flesh looking singed. He'd injured her without even being aware she was there. Now her gaze shifted between him and the bone-user, assessing if she was facing more than one threat at that very moment.

 _ **"Sorry,"**_ Naruto said with a feral tinge in his voice as he eyed the approaching opponent pulling a blade of bone from his shoulder. As much as he regretted it, he didn't have time to do anything else. The guilt would simply have to serve as the tether that kept Naruto aloft and aware of himself. _**"Help her. I'll deal with him."**_

The older kunoichi nodded, seeing that he'd stopped himself from drowning in the murderous desires of the fox and regained control. "Don't drop your guard against him."

Kimimaro extended his palms towards Anko as she ran towards her downed charge and launched a pair of stake-shaped bones to halt her. She pulled out a trio of kunai and flung them with her good hand in response. Bone and steel met in a head-on collision that knocked them aside as she continued on. He then rushed her in a blur of motion, with his bladed bone ready to strike her legs from underneath her.

Naruto's tail fired out again to intercept him like a crimson lance. Kimimaro made to dodge it with a twist of his body. At the same time, another sharpened bone emerged from his leg to cut through Anko's tendon in the process. The extended tail turned into a third hand that expanded and smashed into the Sound shinobi's unprotected chest before it could touch her.

Flesh smoldered where it made contact as the hand carried Kimimaro several body-lengths, before he could twist himself free and fall to a knee. He sucked in a sharp breath of air, holding the spot where malevolent chakra had left its mark upon him. But he brushed it aside to raise his arm and fire again at Anko.

Naruto rushed forward with a roar, driving his foot towards his opponent's face in a flying kick before he could take the shot. It met a hard surface instead as Kimimaro blocked the kick with his forearm. Then there was a lancing streak of pain as needle-like bones jutted out of the arm, piercing the bottom of his combat sandal and through the top of his foot. Naruto tried pulling back his foot while taking a swipe with his hand, which were now claws shrouded in the crimson chakra meant to rip the bone-user to pieces.

Kimimaro danced out of the way, leaving the half-withered bones wedged into Naruto's foot, and grew more to replace them all over his body as he spun around. The Dance of the Larch tore into Naruto's shroud and body with a spinning motion, only for the snaking tail to force Kimimaro to break off the attack or be ran-through. He brought his hand to his mouth as he landed some distance away, blocking the hoarse and bloody cough that followed.

In contrast, Naruto snarled as the injuries began to boil away, torn flesh and damaged muscles destroyed and then regenerated within the shroud. Even the bones that had lodged themselves into his body had been wasted away to nothing within it. Compared to the pale skin of his opponent that was blemished and singed where direct contact with the shroud had been made, it was evident that a battle of endurance would only serve to benefit Naruto.

Perhaps coming to that realization as well, Kimimaro allowed his Curse Seal of Earth blossom across his frame. Black markings crawled across his skin as ivory bones pierced from the inside-out and pushed aside flesh. They wove together, dark lines spiraling around the bones to the very tip of the points.

Naruto's tail swished in the face of the change. Instinct ran high within his mind, that what lurked in front of him was a dangerous foe to face. The urging to call upon another tail of power was only suppressed by his human reasoning as he stayed atop of the rancor and charged.

Kimimaro responded by changing his stance so that the bones jutting from his arms, legs, and chest were aimed for Naruto. With a grunt and flex of his muscles, they all fired at once. In an instant he'd filled the intervening space with sharpened bones marked with blackened tips.

Like a flail, the crimson tail came around to shield Naruto against the white-and-black rain of death. The density of the bones had increased through the markings that lined them, rendering them capable of passing through the shroud of corrupted yang chakra. He brought his arms around and protected his body as they grazed and pierced him in various places, leaving him falling to his knees in pain as his blood seeped into the bubbling membrane covering him and darkened it further.

The rustle of cloth reached his ears before he noticed the presence now behind him. He twisted around, bringing his chakra arms around to sweep away the threat. It was too high as Kimimaro lowered himself, using his arm as a pivot while sweeping his spike-covered leg around and scything away more of Naruto's flesh as it tore open his stomach.

 _It's no good if I don't go further,_ Naruto realized then and there as he tried to get away from the whirling kick that Kimimaro followed up with, expanding the blade-like spines jutting out of his skin. He wouldn't be able to dodge another hit like that unless he took it another step further. So he reluctantly opened himself up to more of the malevolent chakra of the Nine-Tailed Fox, blossoming into a second tail.

The urge to murder increased with the potency of the corrupted yang chakra bleeding out of his tenketsu as the shroud thickened. The bones that made contact with it decayed into nothingness hastily, forcing Kimimaro to back away. Refusing to let him get away, the twin tails turned into elongated hands that came crashing down on the bone-user with enough force that they caved in the ground beneath his very feet.

Kimimaro stopped himself from being crushed to death by expanding the bones and shaping them into a shell. The strain on his face was evident, even as the markings from his Cursed Seal etched themselves across the ivory shell in a desperate attempt to avoid having it crumble away. But the bloody cough that tore itself from his throat, leaving trails of crimson to stream down the corner of his lips, made it clear that he wouldn't last long.

Naruto roared as he brought his chakra arms around to join the second set of hands and encompass the Sound shinobi. The contact with the ground was enough to putrefy it into liquid rot. He applied more force and pressure to bury the bone-user beneath the slurry and felt the shell begin to crumble within his expanding grasp…

Then the crumbling shell erupted as ivory spears burst out of the comparatively tiny container, like a seed abruptly sprouting. The rigid protrusions tore his chakra arms apart before smashing out of the ground and giving chase as he darted around to avoid being killed. The number continuously swelled as seconds passed, radiating outwards as the spears ascended towards the moon with a thunderous cacophony.

By the time the dust cleared, Naruto could only see chalk-white formations as far as his vision stretched. The entire battlefield was overrun by bones that dwarfed the surrounding landscape. It was a forest of osseous spires that loomed ominously under the moon, towering monuments to the power of his enemy that obscured his sight in all directions.

There was no telling how far it had expanded from the ground, leaving Naruto fearing that the two kunoichi had been caught up in it. So he took a running start up the nearest trunk, intending to get clear of the canopy to see if he could find them. But no sooner than he was halfway up it did his instincts scream for him to move and he kicked off as hastily as he could.

 **"Agh!"** He screamed as a hot flash of pain flared in his abdomen. A portion of the side had been gouged out, though it was better than being skewered like a piece of meat if he hadn't moved in time. Naruto landed, cradling the wound, and glared up at his opponent.

Kimimaro was seamlessly merged with the giant bone and had gone into a second-stage transformation. It had darkened his skin an almost charcoal shade, painted his eyes black, and dyed his pupils yellow. Large, thick, curved bones had sprouted from his back, leading down to a tail from which jagged spines ran along the top.

Drowning out the frothing pain of the wound's regeneration with a feral snarl, he swiped an elongated chakra arm towards the bone-user that had undergone a monstrous transformation that made even Gaara's look tame. The claws tore a furrow out of the trunk and nothing else. His opponent was gone, having disappeared as quickly as he appeared.

Naruto's lips peeled back further in frustration as he withdrew the claw, assessed the damage, and realized just how badly the situation had gotten. The bones that had been brittle to a single tail were now dense enough that two couldn't decay and rot them quickly enough for him to do anything meaningful. Surrounded on all sides by the bony trees, he was caged in his opponent's trap similar to how Haku had done with those mirrors he possessed.

 _All it would take is another tail to break free of this cage._

His mind froze as that ruinous whisper bubbled up from that which was sealed within him. It was the Nine-Tailed Fox with an offering of power. More than enough power to break free of the pitiful cage of bones that he was locked in and tear the one who sealed him apart limb-from-limb at the same time!

Naruto entertained the thought for a brief moment. It even brought a smile to his face. Then he shook his head, trying to push it down. That wasn't him, that wasn't what he wanted.

He wanted to protect Karin and get her to safety, not go on a murderous rampage. The two weren't the same; his own desires were separate from that of the malevolent instincts of the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra. The moment he forgot that and fell to the temptation to do so was the moment he lost himself entirely.

The distraction passed as more bones emerged from the ground. It was like a giant bear-trap, jagged points acting as teeth that tried to clamp shut around his body. He dodged them with ease, only to be lashed from behind courtesy of Kimimaro's tail and sent flying backwards until he crashed into the base of another tree-sized bone spire.

The impact was hard enough to create a crater, making his vision flash. His awareness returned in less than a second, but that was long enough for a lashing whip forged of bone and cartilage to coil around the trunk he was backed against. All at once it tightened around his body, binding him in place as the spines on the vertebrae pierced his flesh and those that touched the bone structure melded into it to form a band.

Kimimaro went into another coughing fit as he left Naruto pinned in place. This time it was far more violent. Blood splattered against the ground as he fell onto his arms and knees, every heaving breath pulling from his lungs. His failing health didn't deter him for long as he pulled himself towards the nearest overgrown bone and melded into it.

Not five seconds later, Naruto's sharpened senses heard distant crashing and a shout of surprise coming from further in the ossified forest.

 **[0-0-0]**

Karin felt uneasy as she and Anko rode atop Byakko among the towering ivory spires. They had been spared from harm as it went up, but were trapped within the resulting forest. Worse was the fact that she wasn't able to sense the one who'd done it at all with her Mind's Eye since it happened, as if he'd become one with his surroundings.

In contrast, Naruto's signature shone like a beacon, even though it was drowned in that of the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra. The fact that he wasn't moving only compounded her worry. So she urged Byakko to rush towards him so they could collect him and go home together.

An ominous rumbling filled the air as they grew closer. It was the sound of crumbling bones. The thick osseous trees surrounding them began to collapse in on themselves, forcing Byakko to deftly dodge the falling debris as they smashed into one another. That was when the ambush was sprung.

The bone-user appeared out of nowhere and tackled Byakko with all the strength that his monstrous transformation could muster, and a scream tore itself out of Karin's mouth as the impact threw her free of Byakko. Her slender body was sent skipping across the ground before she slid to a stop. She sucked in a sharp and pained breath as she forced her head up to see that she had gotten lucky.

The older kunoichi had been curled within the transformed shinobi's tail, straining to get free as it tightened around her arms and chest. Byakko had been gored through by the thick pair of bones that were on his back, rendering it unable to hold itself together. The white tiger dissipated, leaving only the mask behind to fall slowly towards the ground.

Karin saw him eye it clearly and knew what was going to happen next. She tried to get to her feet in a desperate attempt to stop a piece of her clan's legacy from being lost. But it was all for nothing as a single stomp of his foot shattered the mask that served as Byakko's vessel.

 **"You will answer for your betrayal of Lord Orochimaru,"** he said, grinding his foot into the fragments of the mask.

Karin collapsed onto her knees and sat there as he approached, eyes fixed on the remnants of the mask and hands extended as though reaching for it. Even as he crafted a blade of bone to slice through her arms and legs, she didn't move or stop reaching for Byakko. There was no point.

 _"Ru…n…!"_ Anko forced out, even as she struggled for breath. Karin remained there despite the urging; still reaching out towards Byakko's mask that had been destroyed. _"Go!"_

Karin ignored the order, instead focused on all of the unspent yang chakra that was released now that the seals storing it in the mask had been destroyed. As the blade descended, she reached out to it with every ounce of desire, desperation, and instinct in her body. And the chakra responded by wrapping the Sound shinobi in Chakra Chains for an instant, anchored through her outstretched palms

 **"Wh** at?" The surprise was evident in his voice as the Chakra Chains cocooned him for a mere moment, hampering his transformation. That was as long as she could maintain the desperate attempt at shaping the chakra outside of her body.

 **"Get clear!"** Karin yelled as her concentration faltered. **"Now!"**

Anko listened. She broke free from his grasp as the transformation regressed until the chains shattered like glasswork, and snatched Karin away before he could bring his blade down on her. It wasn't a moment too soon as the second reason that Karin didn't run came rushing in, slamming into the Sound shinobi with a thunderous impact that kicked up a plume of dust as it sent him careening into the collapsed heap of bone rubble.

Sporting three tails that swayed ominously, what was left of Naruto roared loud enough that it echoed throughout the battlefield…


	39. Chapter 39

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Kimimaro's body was breaking down. His heart threatened to give out with every passing second, and probably would have already if not for a cocktail of drugs that kept his adrenaline high and numbed the pain that came from his illness. His cells were being eroded from the inside-out due to the invasive chakra of the jinchuuriki, only to be regenerated thanks to properties of the natural energy coursing through the Cursed Seal that Lord Orochimaru bestowed upon him.

But they wouldn't last. They were only temporary measures to keep his ailing body moving, borrowed time at best. It would run out and then he would die, the flames of life snuffed out like a candle.

Knowing that, he rose to his feet and stared down the jinchuuriki sporting three tails now. The boy's cloak was bubbling on the inside, a violent maelstrom of corrupted chakra that steamed the air and blighted the land. To pierce it, he would have to use the densest weapon in his arsenal.

The moment that the jinchuuriki tensed, he sunk himself into the nearest bone and became one with his surroundings. In that state, he was aware of everything that went on in his domain, the forest of bones with their roots deep within the earth. Safe from the chakra claws that caused the ivory spire he'd taken refuge in to wither away, after he shunted himself into a different one, Kimimaro crafted a lance of the densest bone that he could from his palm, spiraling it around to compact as much mass as he could into as little space as possible.

Then he jettisoned himself towards the backside of the younger shinobi, a streaking blur of grey and white. The point of his lance speared through empty space as, in a mere instant, the jinchuuriki speared its tails into the ground and used them to rise above his joust, bringing his chakra arms down and expanding them as he raked the ground. They nearly caught the bone-user in a pass until he lashed his tail against the ground to change directions and sink into another osseous tree, moments before the jinchuuriki made contact with it in chase.

Surging through the forest of bones, he compelled them to sprout. Bony branches emerged, turning every spire surrounding the jinchuuriki into a wall of spear-length thorns upon which Kimimaro intended to skewer him. All at once they shifted to point towards their intended target and fired down.

It was a rain of white death. An attack from all angles that would leave no escape, no matter how fast the opposition was. Composed of bones dense enough that even the cloak shouldn't be able to waste them away on contact, they would turn Naruto into a pincushion.

Yet, all it took was a single roar to make it worthless. Backed by the increased chakra reserves, the bestial roar became an expanding shockwave of sound and air that served as a physical object. It scattered the rotted earth, toppled the ivory spires, and sent the raining spears astray from the jinchuuriki sitting at the bottom of the crater that formed, shifting his head back and forth in search of his foe…

Then the feral instincts screamed of an impending attack. The boy's tails lashed out towards the threat coming from behind. They ended up smashing ones of the toppled bone spires that had been launched towards him.

That was when Kimimaro erupted from the ground and impaled him from below, through the stomach with the lance forged on his arm. The closeness of the cloak to his body left him feeling as though he was standing next to a fire, but he bore with it to spin around. Carrying the jinchuuriki on the neck of the lance, he slammed the tip into the ground and staked Naruto into place as the boy screamed in agony.

Kimimaro backed away after separating his arm from the weapon, leaving Naruto impaled and pinned to the ground. It looked to be over as Naruto raked at the lance as with his claws to no immediate avail. But it wouldn't last for long; signs of bone rot were already setting in around the wound that frothed.

There was no getting around it. The boy was too dangerous to be left alive, more so if he could sprout another tail and become even stronger. Compared to bringing in the other two, the loss of the jinchuuriki was acceptable since it would also hamper the Leaf village. No matter how resilient his healing factor, taking off his head would be the end of it.

Kimimaro raised his hand, a sliver of ivory emerging from his palm as a long blade to decapitate the boy. Then a familiar pulsing sense of pain flared throughout his body. A vicious cough forced blood up through his throat and out of his mouth as it made his heart ache, dropping him to a knee.

 _Not yet,_ he thought desperately as he tried to keep it in check. The exertion and exposure to the tailed beast's chakra had strained the reserves of the Cursed Seal and drugs. _I have to finish this quickly—_!

His thoughts froze abruptly as a wet sound accompanied a hot lance of pain that shot through his chest. His eyes fell down to see that the end of a chakra tail had punched through his body from the rear, having extended from the cloak into the ground and then tunneled to take him from behind. Strength fled his body as his lungs stilled, leaving him unable to support himself as the tail whipped itself and tossed his body aside like a rag doll.

He came to a stop on the ground, unable to breathe as his ruined lungs failed to function. The transformation of the Cursed Seal wore off, melting away to leave nothing but his pale body. The gaping hole in his torso didn't bleed, but instead a dark and cancerous blemish spread out from the wound.

Not that he could feel it. Or feel anything really. In an instant after the pain, even before he'd been flung, a cold numbness spread across his body that was devoid of strength. Straining to stay awake, he could do nothing but lament his failure as the jinchuuriki finished freeing himself and then lunged for him with a chakra arm raised, forming into sharpened claws with serrated points.

As his death neared, time seemed to slow and stretch. It was torture to Kimimaro, unable to do anything as the thought of dying without being able to repay the debt he felt he owed Orochimaru for all he'd done haunted him. He could only curse the jinchuuriki with his final thoughts as the claws descended.

Then there was nothing.

 **[-oOo-]**

"Damn it!" Karin said, her voice strained as she worked the kunai into the dirt and used it as a makeshift spade. The moment that Naruto let loose that roar, they had been tossed due to the displaced air and force. It was only by some miracle they had managed not to end up crushed entirely by the towering spires that came tumbling down.

However, Anko's left forearm was wedged beneath one and the ground, and was broken at the very least. It was too big for Karin to lift, but if she could create enough space between them then Anko could slip it out. Of course, it'd be easier to focus on the task at hand if not for what she felt what was transpiring elsewhere.

"How bad is it with him?" Anko asked in the wake of the swearing and a distant crashing sound. "He had three tails when he caught us in that roar, didn't he? Can you feel if he's still in control?"

"The Sound shinobi is dead now, but…" Karin bit her lower lip, leaning forward and scrunching her brows up as she kept digging. Naruto's chakra was slowly growing more and more faint. It was being swallowed up by the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra and buried within the hatred, like a salt cube being eroded in sea.

Anko seemed to pick up at least how serious the situation was from her silence. "Can he be saved?"

"If I can wrap a chain around him then I might be able to suppress the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra long enough for him to take control," she said as she hurriedly shoveled the kunai into the dirt. "But the longer this takes, the worse it'll get. If it goes too far…"

Anko sighed. "Go then. I can free myself from here."

"I'll be right back!" Karin promised as she passed back the kunai, jumped to her feet, and darted towards Naruto. He needed her more at the moment. She wove through the field of discarded spear-like protrusions and crossed the crater that had been formed towards where she sensed the bone-user's chakra be snuffed out.

Karin almost vomited when she arrived. The air had gone putrid and hot, worse than even the foulest locations she had come across in her life. She held her hand over her mouth and clenched her throat to force the bile rising up back down, along with the scream of horror as she stared at what had become of Naruto.

He'd gone feral, hammering the chakra arms against all that was left of his opponent's body—a stew of rotted and battered meat, roaring in fury. The Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra kept swelling, even with the threat gone. If it continued to do so, his own sun-tinged chakra would be swallowed whole entirely.

She gathered the remaining chakra that she had and tried to form the Chakra Chains again. Midway, she faltered as the limitations of the day were reached. The length of chain that dangled from her right hand was little more than a pathetically short whip, but it was solid enough that it could be used if she got close.

 _This is going to hurt,_ she thought to herself as the muscles in her legs tensed to move. That bubbling cloak was like seething lava that wrapped him, and she wasn't sure she'd be able to handle maintaining contact with it for long. But there was no other way to help him right now, so if that meant a little pain she'd endure it.

That in mind, Karin swallowed her hesitation and threw herself towards the maelstrom of malevolent chakra. It was oppressive, battering at her flesh and mind as the air grew hotter the closer she got. She wrapped the chain around her forearm and placed it in front of her to try and see if it had any effect, but nothing changed and wouldn't unless she made contact with the cloak.

"Naruto!" she called out as he continued to pound at the spot where the bone-user had died. "Calm down!"

The pounding stopped as he turned towards her. His eyes were now completely red like dying stars, sections of his skin peeling off to expose the muscle beneath the surface. The tails began to shift and close in around her, perceiving her as a threat to snuff out like the one before.

Karin barely managed to get away from the first one with a graze to her side, and that felt like it had burned her there. The second one tried to sweep her away, but she narrowly avoided it by flinging herself forward and onto the ground. That left the third to try and crush her, forcing Karin to bring her arm with the chain wrapped around it in defense. It popped on contact with the chain, unraveling and pulling back before reforming itself.

"It's me!" She called out to him again. This time she felt his chakra respond within the maelstrom. "It's Karin!"

The tails that were getting ready to attack her again stilled. _**"G-Get… away…"**_ The two chakras signatures began to fluctuate now as he tried to regain control. He brought his hand to his head and curled into himself, the cloak's rampant bubbling slowing down. _**"Hard…to… control…"**_

"I can help you!" She ran forward while the tails were under control, closing the distance to where she felt like she was burning alive. She ignored the pain as she felt his control waver. "Just hang on a little longer!"

 _ **"S-Stop!"**_ The chakra itself slinked out to stop her. It lashed out in the form of writhing tendrils, despite Naruto's efforts to suppress it. _**"Stay back!"**_

Karin unfurled the length of chain from around her arm and used it as a whip to strike down the acrid tendrils where she could as they stood in her path. Contact with the small tendrils was enough to make the chakra composing them disperse. But the numbers were too great as they struck her body in retaliation and seared where they touched, flesh and clothes alike.

"Ahhh!" She couldn't keep her voice in check as the pain mounted with the lashes. Each spot blossomed with pain that sank deep and took root. One even struck her across the face and knocked her glasses off, breaking the lenses and denying her the ability to see without them.

But Karin could still perceive it all with her Mind's Eye, allowing her to make out Naruto still struggling to regain control and keeping it from doing worse. That drove her to keep pressing ahead. She wasn't going to let him lose himself to the fox sealed inside of him, not when he went that far to save them.

Pushing through the pain until he was finally within reach, she lunged for him. There was a flare of unholy agony as the boiling cloak of chakra withstood the chain's attempt at suppressing it on mere contact. But she managed to guide the chain around him and pulled it with her other hand, successfully forming a loop around his stomach and sealing off the source from where it all bubbled up.

The Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra was sealed away once more, leaving Naruto to collapse unconscious.

Karin fell right next to him, in enough pain that tears were leaving her eyes with every agonizing breath. The corrosive nature of the chakra was worming its way into her body, and if she didn't act fast it would become poison that rotted her body away. So she brought her trembling arm to her mouth and sank her teeth into her own burned flesh, the skin crunching with a sickening sound that made her stomach churn.

The Healing Bite's effect kicked in. It was enough to purge the invasive chakra from her body and reduce the severity of the burns, but that was the third time she'd been bitten tonight. There just wasn't enough chakra saturating her body to do more than that, nor in her reserves at all, leaving her weak and wanting nothing more than to pass out.

But she couldn't afford to now. Not when three chakra signatures that she recognized came into her range. The pursuers from before hadn't given up. Even with all the distance Byakko put between them, they managed to cover enough ground that they'd be there soon enough.

Karin forced her body to move. With trembling arms, she grabbed Naruto and began to drag him towards Anko's signature. They had to get away before they were set upon again and taken to Kabuto.

 **[-oOo-]**

The pained groan that left Anko's mouth turned into a heavy sigh as she wrenched her arm free through the furrow that she managed to finish digging around it. The awkward angle and distorted flesh made it abundantly clear that it was broken. "Today has not been my day."

Anko winced as a spike of pain rippled through her as she made a splint for it, and then rose to her feet. She'd need to get it looked at back at the village, but first she had to find her charge and the boy. So she set out to find them by following the trail of destruction left behind, and couldn't help but feel horrified when she did.

The younger kunoichi stood trembling, her clothes ruined and torn to reveal mild chakra-burns all over her body. Her glasses were nowhere to be found as she tried pulling Naruto along with her, likely unable to even see in front of her face. The boy looked as bad, with bits of his skin peeled off, and was unconscious.

Anko ran over in time as Karin's legs gave out and gently lowered them to the ground. "Hey, are you okay?"

 _"We…have to… go,"_ she muttered, eyes half-lidded as she tried to rise. Her arms couldn't even support her own weight and gave out, leaving her to whimper. _"The others… coming…"_

"Others?" Tension ran up Anko's spine at that as she registered what the girl meant. "You mean the ones that had been chasing us before? How far away are they from us?"

 _"Two…minutes…"_ Karin's body twitched slightly and she groaned in pain. The burns were taking their toll on her it seemed. She was in no condition to fight, and the boy was unconscious.

Anko's mind raced. Those Sound shinobi were already strong enough to push them to their limits before, and with only two out of five taken care of it still left them at a disadvantage. And that was before she factored in the protecting the kids and her own injuries, which left only one real option for her to take.

She had to get them out of there. Even if she didn't like the thought of having to fend off three more Cursed Seal-users on her own, it was better than allowing the pair to end up in the midst of anyone affiliated with Orochimaru. She wouldn't be much of an aspiring teacher if she was willing to throw them to the wolves just to save herself after all.

Enduring the pain as she made the necessary hand-seals, Anko slammed her hand onto the ground. The mole-snake appeared once more in response to her summoning. It drew close and loomed over her in attention.

"Did you get the last one to the village?" she asked. When the serpent bobbed its head, she reached up with her good hand and ran her fingers along its head. "Good. Now can you do me one final favor and get these two to the village in your stomach?"

The mole-snake shifted its body along the ground and peered at pair of Uzumaki, before turning back to its summoner and flicking its tongue.

"I know that you only like taking one person at a time because it hurts your stomach to fit more in there, but this is an emergency." Anko repositioned Karin so that she was against Naruto. The girl whimpered in pain, but didn't fight her on it. "They should be small enough to fit if they stay close, so do it for me. Okay?"

It hesitated for a moment and then nodded.

"Thanks." The older kunoichi then turned her attention to Karin. "This is going to be very uncomfortable and will probably hurt like hell considering the state of your body, but don't move and hold onto him in there as tight as you can. When you do get to the village, tell the Hokage everything. Understand?"

 _"Y…es…"_ Karin moved her arms around Naruto's unconscious form and held him tight against her body. Then she closed her eyes as the snake's maw opened wide and swallowed them both whole. Moments later, both of them were inside of the serpent's belly as it sank into the earth, speeding off underground towards safety.

That left Anko alone with the whistling night breeze that sifted through the remaining ivory spires that made up the forest of bones. Despite knowing the odds of the battle to come, she felt relief spread throughout her body. Those two had the potential to do so much good for the village that it would be a shame if it was snuffed out now. Even if Anko ended up being caught or killed, knowing she'd secured their future was good enough for now.

That being said, she had no intention of going down without a fight. She moved with hurried steps, using the remaining minute she had as a head-start to hide in a dense portion of the osseous trees. Then she reached for her remaining kunai with her good hand, stood up straight, and sharpened her senses in anticipation.

If they wanted her, Anko was going to make them work for it.


	40. Chapter 40

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Sarutobi Hiruzen fought the urge to yawn as the night dragged on. Reports continuously came in regarding the escapees, their numbers now few. It wouldn't be long before those that were still within the Land of Fire were captive. The mystery of how they escaped had been solved, courtesy of a Messenger Toad from Naruto and questioning a few of the escapees, but the reason why eluded him even now.

Granted, there were other questions still to be answered. Like how they knew of Naruto's location. But, with the Sound shinobi captured by Anko, they would have them in time. Inoichi and Ibiki would see to that much. So he settled on rubbing his eyes with his good hand for now, rather than stew on the machinations of Orochimaru's right-hand man.

"You shouldn't push yourself, Old Man," said the only other person in the room. Looking out at the village from the window was Tsunade, a Transformation hiding her normal appearance and several documents in her hand. She had come to help with the workload, even if she was reluctant to be seen. "You're still recovering."

"There's no one else who can do this at the moment with Jiraiya away," he said with a sigh. Jiraiya should have received word by now on the matter, but it would still be hours before he could return.

 _Knock. Knock._ There was a knock on the door that drew their attention. Once permission was given an Anbu entered. The man was adorned in a flak jacket, a mask that had a cat's face on it, and a sword on the right side of his back.

"Tenzo, what news do you have for me?" Sarutobi asked.

"A pair of our shinobi have been brought to the village's gates by a snake summoning," he reported. "One of them is Naruto Uzumaki, who has sustained numerous injuries and required immediate medical attention. The kunoichi accompanying him, identifying herself as Karin Uzumaki, claimed she has information to report to you as she was escorted to the hospital for her injuries."

"I see." That left him in a bit of a predicament. He shouldn't leave his post in the middle of things as they stood, but the information that she held could prove vital. Not to mention when he attempted to rise to his feet moments before, the bones in his back loudly contested the decision with audible crackles as a testament to his age. "Guard their room and ensure that no one enters for now, Tenzo. I'll have someone sent along shortly."

As the Anbu departed from the room with haste, off to accomplish his task, the Hokage turned to Tsunade.

She picked up where he was going without the need for words. "You want me to go?"

"I cannot leave my post at the moment, and the information that she has could be pertinent," he said. "There's no one more qualified to look after the members of your Grandmother's clan than you are."

Next to Shizune, they were possibly the closest ties she had to family through her grandmother's side. The same Uzumaki blood also flowed through her veins to an extent, and he would like to have her tested to see if she could also utilize those masks that were retrieved from the temple as well. However, he had been putting it off until she was in a better state of mind since her enforced sobriety, which had left her… cranky, for lack of a better term.

"Or would you rather take my place here and handle overseeing everything until my return?"

A slight, indignant huff left her mouth at that. "You don't have to try and blackmail me. I'm going. Just tell me what I need to know about the brats."

 **[-oOo-]**

 _The closest thing I have to a family, huh?_ Tsunade couldn't help but feel a little offended that the old man tried to play that card in an effort to get her to act. The only people she could call family were already dead, with perhaps the exception of Shizune.

Still, taking a report and checking on some mild injuries were far easier than dealing with all the documentation that he had to do. It was also probably meant to test whether or not her therapy was having any real effect so far. Shizune was on-call at the hospital at the moment, so it probably would have crossed his mind for her to call in her apprentice for help in looking after them if she couldn't.

Arriving at the hospital while in her disguise, she presented the seal given to her by the old man to the Anbu standing at attention in front of the door. He moved, allowing her to enter into the room. There she found the two Uzumaki.

The blond boy that Jiraiya was fond of was lying unconscious on the bed, in an examination gown. The girl, also in an examination gown, was staring at Tsunade from his bedside; despite there being a second one two steps away that she should be resting on given the situation. That rankled Tsunade to an extent, when patients did things that could worsen their condition. What was the point in treating them then?

Taking a look at the charts laid out on the table, she saw that they had done some preliminary treatment for the burns in the girl's case. That involved cleaning the wounds of whatever they may have come into contact with while in a snake's stomach, giving her medication to help with the pain control, and applying dressings to them as a temporary measure to keep the nerve endings from being exposed for the moment. There were tears in her eyes, but it was hard to tell if that was from the pain, as it was generally a bad idea for someone with burn wounds to move around actively, or because of the boy.

The boy's charts read different enough that she'd need to see it herself the extent of the damage.

"…You're the woman from when they woke me up," Karin said, breaking the silence to that point. "Why are you wearing a disguise over that genjutsu?"

"That's my business," Tsunade said in a dismissive tone. "If you remember that I was there when you first woke up, then you know I'm familiar with the Hokage. He sent me here to find out what happened and see if I can treat your wounds."

"Naruto first," the girl said. "I just have mild chakra burns and exhaustion, but he had it worse."

"I'll be the one to determine that." She walked over to the boy's bedside. "Lie down in the other bed and explain what happened while I look into him."

Karin looked reluctant to leave his side until Tsunade gave her a stern stare. Then she stepped back until she reached the opposite bed and sat on it. "How much do you know already?"

"Everything the old man told me." She opened the examination gown and peeled back the dressings enough to where she could see just how severe the damage was. At a glance, parts of his epidermis and the layers beneath it were outright gone, exposing the muscular system beneath it. There weren't standard signs of burns present, so it wasn't a fire technique, and a wind technique didn't seem likely given the shape.

More concerning was the fact that the most damaged part was his abdomen, where his seal was located at. She suspected that it was still intact since there was no rampaging giant fox at present to further compound the old man's troubles. But they needed to get Jiraiya here fast.

With her hands alight with pale green light, Tsunade hovered them over his injuries to find that the wounds were still saturated with traces of the Tailed Beast's chakra that lingered. It would need to be purged before the wounds could be properly healed. And that would take time. "What drove him to using the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra to this extent?"

"We were attacked by people with Cursed Seals that could activate a second stage transformation," she said. "One of them could use their bones as a weapon and he was too strong. Naruto brought out a tail to fight him, but he had to go to three when the bone-user went to a second stage transformation. It would have gone further if I hadn't stepped in at the last moment, but his body was like that."

"Well, he doesn't seem to be getting worse, but they're probably going to have to keep him under to prevent him from feeling any pain until Jiraiya can get here to check on his seal." Replacing the dressing, Tsunade moved over to Karin and had her lie down so she could check on her injuries. "How did you stop him?"

"Earlier today, my overseer and I discovered that I could create chains of chakra," she said. "They somehow seal foreign chakra. Then we got called out to go on the search and everything went wrong. I had to get close to stop him and then bite myself to heal, but there was nothing left in me. We only got away because she stayed behind after her summoning swallowed us. You have to send someone to get her before they take her to Kabuto."

"Do you know why they came after you?" Tsunade asked while checking on the extent of damage to her body. The girl's burns looked mild, but from how she was talking they were far more severe until she healed herself. They could be treated relatively easily, at the very least. "You're the only ones who were actively attacked from the sound of it."

"I don't really. All I know is that they didn't want us dead," Karin said. "They wanted us alive, so they kept trying to cripple us. We sent one of them tied up to the village. Did you learn anything from her?"

"T & I is handling that as we speak." Tsunade hovered her hands over Karin's bite-marks to see if they were possible to heal. It seemed like even though she could heal herself to where the damage done would heal to good as new and wouldn't produce scar tissue on its own, the marks were permanently imprinted through them upon being used as a medium to heal the rest of her body. It was fascinating from a medical standpoint, but for now that could wait.

She needed to tell the Hokage about what she learned.

 **[-oOo-]**

Pain stung at Naruto as he woke up, only for the glare of sunlight leaking through the blinds of the room to spear into his eyes. He screwed his eyes shut and turned his head away from it on reflex, his thoughts sluggish as his mind felt like it was cloudy. Slowly opening his eyes again, he took in the details of his surroundings and realized that he was in a hospital room.

 _How did I get here?_ As he focused on that question in his mind, the memories bubbled back up to the surface in vivid flashes. He could recall the pain of being pierced, the seething hatred and strength coursing through his body like a raging river, and how he fought to keep himself above it and regain control as the cloak attacked Karin and she threw herself into it.

 **"Kar—"** Dryness clawed at his throat as the hoarse words tried to come out, leaving him coughing violently. He churned his tongue against the roof and inner lining of his cheeks to soothe it, swallowing whatever saliva he could, but it wasn't enough.

 _"Nnn…"_ A soft moan reached his ears from the blinding light that he turned away from, a rising shadow being cast over his head. "Naruto? Are you awake now?"

He forced his head to turn around and see that Karin was in a chair by his bedside. Her red hair was disorderly and her eyes were droopy as she rubbed them. But she was alive, which lightened the weight he felt in his chest.

"Thank goodness you're awake," Karin said, a soft smile on her face filled with relief. "You've been out for about two days now. How do you feel?"

He tried to speak, but the cough came back.

"Oh, she said that you might be thirsty if you woke up today. I'll get you some water." Karin immediately fetched him a glass of water and supported his head upwards so that he could drink it enough to ease the dryness in his throat. "Better?"

"Yeah." He sighed as the cool water brought also brought clarity as she laid his head back down on the pillow. He tried to move his body only to find that it was non-responsive. The signals were being sent, but his body felt too weak to respond. When he tried to mold chakra, he found that it was cut-off as well. "Why can't I move or feel my chakra?"

"They said that you had pushed your body a bit too hard, and wanted to make sure that you could heal properly, so they needed to seal your chakra flow." She placed her hand over his stomach, above the examination gown. "Jiraiya-san came in yesterday and did this thing where his fingers were alight with chakra, pressing it to your stomach seal. He said it would block off the chakra from the Nine-Tailed Fox, and then drew another one to leech out the rest so they could properly heal you, but stated it would leave you unconscious for an additional day."

"They sealed it?" Now that he thought about it, the feeling was similar to when the snake bastard had screwed with his seal in the Forest of Death. But, more than that, he remembered why they would do so. It made his expression slough off from one of relief to sorrow. "… I hurt you, didn't I?"

"That wasn't you," she said, her tone soft and reassuring. "In fact, if you hadn't been trying so hard to keep it under control, I wouldn't have been able to help you. And it's not like I was hurt that badly. They healed me right up while you slept, but they wanted to keep me in for observation."

"I still shouldn't have used it," he said. "I was so angry after he stabbed you that I lost it. After that it just kept pushing me to go further. I didn't want to go to three tails because I wasn't sure I could control it. But if I didn't…"

"Naruto, you didn't have a choice." She moved her hand down towards where his was and her fingers closed around it. "Even the Hokage agreed."

"The Old Man came by?"

She nodded. "He… had someone look into my memories, to share them with him and Jiraiya-san and that woman they were with. They said that the bone-user was a member of some kind of clan from the Land of Water that was supposed to be wiped out. Those people from Sound killed Anbu Officers, and he was stronger than them. So they agreed that you didn't have a choice. If anything, I was the one who couldn't do enough."

Her smile faltered and her shoulders fell as she lowered her head, hiding her eyes. "I had to be protected by you and Anko-san, and it led to you relying on the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra while she sacrificed herself so that we could get away. I couldn't even stop Byakko's mask from being shattered in the end, and I couldn't even heal the damage to your body. I was mostly useless."

She looked like she was on the verge of crying. Naruto wanted to reach up to comfort her, but couldn't even move his arm well enough to do so. He settled for twisting his hand around so that he could try to at least hold hers. "It's okay. No one could have seen that happening."

"But I should have," she said. "I should have known Kabuto would come after me, but I didn't and he crippled me for it. He got around my Mind's Eye and left me helpless the majority of the time. The only reason it wasn't a repeat of what happened during the Invasion was because the Chakra Chains I found out how to make not even an hour before we got called out. Even then I had to be carried and protected the entire time because of the stupid seal placed on me."

Naruto blinked at that. "Chakra Chains?"

She cupped her hands and a golden chain emerged from her palm. "I'm not really sure what they are. I was just trying to make Chakra Threads and they assumed this form. The only thing I do know is that they can interfere and inhibit chakra."

"The more accurate name is Adamantine Sealing Chains," a voice piped up from the window. Karin turned her body and stepped out of the way so Naruto could make out that it was Jiraiya standing outside the window. When did he get there?

"Adamantine Sealing Chains?" Karin held the chain up towards him. "Did you and the Hokage know that I could do this then?"

"We couldn't be sure," Jiraiya said as he entered the window and started walking towards them. "It's a very rare trait found in some members of the Uzumaki clan's chakra, who are scattered as is. The only user I've ever met was Naruto's mother, who was proficient enough with them that she could create a barrier that isn't easily breached. That and the nature of her chakra was the reason that she was brought to the village in the first place."

The Toad Sage came to a stop in front of the bed and addressed Naruto. "How are you feeling kid?"

"I can't move well, but other than that I'm fine," Naruto said, his thoughts partially on what was said about his mother. There was a story there that Naruto wanted to know about. The way he spoke implied that his mother had something special inherent to her beyond working on his seal.

"That's good, all things considered," he said. "There's a lot we need to talk about involving both of you, so I'll start with the bad news first. As of this moment, neither of you will be allowed to leave the village's territory until further notice."


	41. Chapter 41

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Jiraiya, or rather a clone of the original, knew he was going to hate being the one to bring them the bad news when Naruto just woke up. On the way there, he could just picture how the kids would look when he told them. And his imagination just so happened to prove on-point as Naruto looked betrayed.

The boy opened and closed his mouth twice before he asked, "Why? Was it because I left my mission?"

"Of course not. It's just not safe for you, Karin, or anyone else marked to leave too far from the village after what happened," Jiraiya explained. "So until we can remove them, both of you and the Uchiha-boy will need to remain off missions that leave you where we can't reach easily. I know it's not fair after you've just become a Chuunin and we're working on dealing with the immediate situation, so just give us a little time."

"Did you at least find out why they were after Karin then?" Naruto asked.

The clone of the Toad Sage nodded. They'd already managed to gleam why the Sound Four, as they called themselves, were after Anko Mitarashi and Karin. They wanted to revive Orochimaru somehow and that was tied into the Cursed Seals they possessed.

In all honesty, learning that had made Jiraiya want to leave out in search of them right away. He thought he had found closure with the death of Orochimaru, and that he had corrected the mistake of letting his old teammate live so he could commit more horrors in the name of science and his mad ambition. For him to come back now would make everything amount to nothing.

But Tsunade had been the one to stop him by pointing out that it was meaningless to do so alone and the Old Man backed her. It was likely that anyone who had a Cursed Seal could be used in whatever revival ritual they had. Aside from the surviving members of the group that attacked Naruto and Karin, there was no telling how many people had been marked. It was likely that Kabuto chose the two from their village simply out of spite and Orochimaru could have easily been revived without their knowledge.

That only left them two reasonable ways to be rid of Orochimaru once and for all. The first was that they found some way to kill every portion of his soul at once, but none of them knew anything like that. Soul manipulation was an obscure field of techniques for a reason, and even the Third Hokage—who knew techniques for every element—only knew of two personally that influenced the souls, and only one that he could use at the cost of his own life.

The second was that they killed off the people who had the knowledge of the revival method. Such knowledge would be guarded jealously, that much they could gleam from their captive's memories, so the only ones likely to have it were those high-up in the ranks. That meant the only way to be rid of them for good would be killing Orochimaru a second time, making sure that Kabuto followed, and torching all evidence of such a method existing.

To that end, they'd already taken measures to do the second. "Karin-chan, you don't have your Mind's Eye on right now, do you?"

Her hair swayed slighty as she shook her head. "Not at the moment. I was told to use it moderately in the village by Anko-san until what happened. I figured the least I could do was keep to what she was teaching me before then."

"Right… well, I'm a Shadow Clone. The original me is currently out looking for her with a team to act on the information we have from that Sound kunoichi you captured. I was left behind specifically to check up on the two of you and to clear the air on something that's been a longtime coming, in the event that something happens the original during the mission."

He reached behind his back into a pouch and then pulled out a framed photo of Kushina and Minato, one of few in existence that survived to this day because he kept it with him. It was handed off from the original, not a Shadow Clone-made copy. As Naruto couldn't raise his arms at the moment, he handed it to Karin instead. "That's both of his parents together."

She took a look at it and her mouth dropped in shock. Even if she wasn't born in the village, she had seen the face on the mountain and in history books for her citizenship. So there was no way she wouldn't recognize him before she turned it over to Naruto.

Just the same, Naruto's cerulean eyes rose in disbelief as they fell onto the picture. "That's…" He looked over to the clone, questioning whether or not it was some kind of deception. "That's the Fourth Hokage."

"Minato Namikaze," Jiraiya's clone said. "The only student of mine that survived long enough to become something great. And with him is his wife, the former host of the Nine-Tailed Fox. Those are your parents, Naruto. I'm sorry it took this long for me to tell you."

There were no words for a moment as Naruto stared at the photo, lost in thought.

Karin, on the other hand, pursed her lips and then turned to Jiraya's clone. "Wait, what do you mean she was the last host? The history books state that the attack was a natural disaster. For her to be a former host would mean that it was in the village the entire time."

"The Nine-Tailed Fox was first sealed into Mito Uzumaki sometime after the village was founded, and she carried it inside of her even after her husband and his brother died, well into Sensei's reign. But, as long-lived as members of your clan are, she couldn't live forever. And on her death, the Nine-Tailed Fox would break free."

 _"So they needed someone suitable to become the next host."_ Naruto said softly, slowly coming out of his shock as he looked back up to clone of the Toad Sage. His eyes were glistening now. "And that was my… my mother?"

"Her chakra had a quality to it that made it heavily potent against that of the fox. So Mito asked that she be brought over from Whirlpool alone. That's probably one of the reasons that she made it out when most of the other Uzumaki didn't when the village was destroyed."

Karin's expression faltered at that and a note of sympathy could be heard in her voice as she asked, "Was her family there when it happened?"

"Yeah, they were. And by then Mito was dead, she housed the Nine-Tailed Fox, and shortly after there was a kidnapping attempt on her by Cloud." Those factors bode ill for any Jinchuuriki's mental state, so the Third Hokage had her under watch after that for a while. "If not for her relationship with Minato, I don't think she would have been able to hold it together as well as she did."

"They were together back then?" Naruto asked.

"Technically, they met when she was enrolled in the old Academy. Your father was also a student at the time, a prodigy. She didn't think much of him then, while he thought her hair was beautiful. But that changed when she was kidnapped. She tore out strands of her hair one at a time, leaving a trail for someone to follow, and your father was the only one who noticed them. That day he saved her was the day their relationship changed, and twelve years ago you were ready to be born when—"

"Something went wrong," Naruto finished. "It got out when I was born."

"There was foul-play," he said, before Naruto assumed he was the cause. "The day you were about to be born, they took her somewhere safe to give birth with a few guards and midwives, including the Sensei's wife. Minato was there to ensure that the seal didn't break. But something happened, the Nine-Tailed Fox got free, and when it was over we found all the people who were supposed to be guarding them murdered efficiently and without any sign of resistance—an assassination."

He had suspicions that it was less personal towards Minato and more an act against the village as a whole. For one thing, most of the enemies he made would have openly proclaimed they were responsible rather than allowing it to pass as a natural disaster. Yet, no army marched in to follow up and finish the job, and their spies picked up nothing about it in rival villages.

"Regardless, Minato made a lot of enemies," he continued. "We couldn't risk them learning of you, his son, while you weren't able to defend yourself. So we kept who you were a secret, and kept the whole truth from you until now. Believe me when I say that all of us who knew wanted to tell you when we felt you were ready."

Naruto closed his eyes as a pair of crystalline tears ran down his cheeks. It had been too much for him to take in right now. His throat shifted as he tried to swallow the emotions that refused to be bottled up, but the tears still continued to fall.

Karin set down the photo she'd been holding up for him and instead wrapped her arms around Naruto. Guiding him forward, she pulled him close to her heart and kept him like that without saying anything. Not even as he started to cry into her chest.

Now Jiraiya's clone felt like he was intruding, so he gave them some final parting words. "I've left some things behind at Naruto's place for you both to practice with while I'm gone. When I get back, whenever that is, I'll talk to you both."

Naruto, still within Karin's hold, bobbed his head. Feeling that there was little else to say, Jiraiya's clone allowed himself to disperse. The memories flowed straight to the original in the midst of his journey with a team handpicked by the Hokage as they raced towards the hidden base in hopes of stopping Orochimaru's resurrection or putting him down once and for all.

 **[-oOo-]**

Karin's heart felt heavy as she remained by Naruto's side while he cried. She couldn't blame him. Not when she looked at things from his perspective. He was raised as an orphan with only a handful of people that he could trust while growing up, no doubt wondering who his parents were or if they loved him.

Then he met her and found out he had a clan that was wiped out. He learned that his mother died the day he was born from the Hokage. Now he learned that his father was the Fourth Hokage, a great hero who died during that same incident.

Seeing him like this hurt her because she didn't want him to be in pain when he was right in front of her. Especially when there was nothing else she could think to do to make things slightly more bearable for him. All she could do was hug him and offer a shoulder for him to cry on, just like the day he learned of his mother.

 _"I didn't know…"_ Naruto said softly. "I couldn't even imagine that someone like that was my father. Not even when I looked at his statue or at a picture in front of me. What kind of son am I not to even know that much?"

Karin licked her lips in thought, weighing her words before she said anything. "There's…no way you could have known, Naruto. They didn't want you to know, to keep you safe."

"But if I had known, I… I would have tried so much harder to live up to who they were," he said, his voice cracking. "I would have tried to make them proud of me."

"I'm sure they are," Karin insisted. "How could they not be? Look at everything you've done to protect the village. Look at how you risked your life to save me. Do you think that your father wouldn't have approved after what he did to save your mother?"

Just thinking about how he appeared that night still made her heart swell with warm emotions. Even when she recalled just how terrifying it was, and how he had gotten hurt. She could only imagine that was at least somewhat close to how Naruto's mother felt for his father when he saved her.

"I just wish that I could have known them…" Naruto pulled his head away from her chest, still looking down, and then took a deep breath. "That we could have been a family together, you know?"

"I know, Naruto," Karin said as she laid him back down on the bed before rising to her feet. She then set the picture aside for him. "For now though, just rest for a bit. I'll go tell Shizune-san you're awake. She's supposed to be the one looking after you now. "

"Thanks," Naruto said somewhat somberly as he turned his head towards the picture.

Karin stepped out of the room, shut the door gently behind her, and then activated her Mind's Eye. Her perspective of the world shifted, thousands of unique signatures popping into existence within the scope of her range. She narrowed it down to the one she was searching for and found it accompanied by two other signatures, one of whom she was intimately familiar with a floor up. Turning it off and making her way to the room, Karin was about to knock on the door…

 **"YOU ARE TRULY A MIRACLE WORKER!"**

That was when a yell loud enough to be heard down the hallway penetrated the door. Karin held a hand to her heart and willed it to calm down. It startled her to the point that she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Lee, this is a hospital," another person, Sakura, said in a stern tone. "You have to keep your voice down."

"My apologies," Lee replied to her chastising. "I just couldn't contain the youthful energy coursing through my body upon hearing that the surgery was a success."

"Just keep it in mind for the future," a third voice said. It was Shizune, and she was close to the door from the sound of it. "And remember what I said. If I catch word that you're trying to push your body before it's fully healed, I'll be disappointed."

"Though it pains me to be out of practice, I will keep my word," Lee promised. "I will merely have to do double—no, triple the amount of training to make up for the lost time once I am back in fighting condition!"

"I'd recommend easing back into it a little slower than that, but as long as you wait untilyou've recovered…" The door opened and Shizune paused upon seeing Karin. "Oh, Miss Uzumaki. Is everything all right?"

"Naruto's woken up, but he can't move," she said. "I told him that I would come find you."

"I'll go see him now then," Shizune said.

Karin stepped out of the way and watched the doctor go the way that she came. Then she turned her attention back to Sakura. The pink-haired kunoichi was wearing more casual clothing than the outfit that Karin had gotten used to seeing her wear.

"It's been a while since I've seen you," Sakura said, looking her up and down. The hospital clothes Karin swapped into after they were through with the examination gown and bandages that she wore around her arms to hide the marks probably gave the impression that she was hurt more than she really was. "Did something happen to you and Naruto?"

"It's a long story…" Karin rubbed her shoulder in a somewhat nervous manner. There was something on her chest that she wanted to get out, but Naruto had his own problems now and she really didn't know a lot of people that she'd be comfortable talking about it with. "If you're not busy, can we talk somewhere? I have something I want to ask you."

"Sure," Sakura replied. "Just let me get a message to Lee's teammates first. Normally his sensei would do it, but he and Kakashi-sensei aren't at the village right now. They're out on some assignment from the Hokage."

 **[-oOo-]**

"I'm sorry to hear that you both went through all of that," Sakura said to Karin after hearing what she had to say, her voice somewhere between horror and amazement. The two had come outside, where the tables were set up for patients to eat and feel the autumn sun without leaving the grounds. There she had gotten her answer how Karin and Naruto had ended up in the hospital.

Sakura had been out with Kakashi and Sasuke. The former had been enlisted to aid in the hunt because of his summonings and his past experience in tracking as well. They had managed to catch their escapees rather easily, but it seemed as though Karin and Naruto had gone through much more.

"If Naruto hadn't showed up, I probably wouldn't be here right now. But because he had to fight against the bone-user alone, he ended up hurting himself and I had already exhausted my ability to heal through having him bite me. We only got away after that because the person who was watching over me sacrificed herself to buy us time."

"And you feel guilty because you couldn't do anything about it," Sakura guessed. "Everyone else was sacrificing themselves for you and all you could do was watch?"

Karin, eyes lost staring into her tea, nodded her head. "I'm… not a fighter, I'm a Sensor. I never intended to be on the front-lines. Yet, if anything, this has shown me that won't be enough anymore. Every single escapee targeted me, then those Sound shinobi, and then the bone-user, and it's only at the expense of the people around me and Byakko that I managed to stay alive."

"Trust me when I say I know the feeling." She could sympathize with the feeling that Karin was going through, especially since she had just visited Lee after hearing that his surgery was over. She hadn't forgotten how badly he'd been hurt attempting to save her in the Forest of Death.

Karin extended her hand, palm upwards, and a chain emerged. "I don't know much about the limits of what I can do, but I don't want to end up in a position to just watch it all happen in front of me again. Especially not to the person I fell in love with."

Sakura couldn't keep the surprise that blossomed on her face hidden at that. "Wait, I thought you and Naruto were just like family. But you actually love Naruto like _that_?"

"How can I not after everything that's happened to this point?" Karin asked with her tone warm and bright. "Despite everything he's been through in his life, he's still managed to remain sweet and friendly to just about anyone as long as they haven't crossed him. At the same time, he's brave and clever when he needs to be. He gave me trust and a home and promised not to ever abandon me. And he's done so much to try and keep it, even when it means putting his life on the line."

"… I guess when you put it like that, it does make sense." _And it sounded like something out of a romance novel._ "Does he feel the same way?"

"He hasn't really answered yet," Karin said. "But it's fine. I don't want to force my feelings onto him after all and he's been busy. And even if he doesn't, I think that I'd be okay as long as I could remain a part of his life."

Sakura wished she could say the same thing about Sasuke, but it felt like he was closing up more and more since that day she found him being carted into the hospital. Worse, it felt like there was nothing she could do to open him back up at this point. Sighing to herself, she said, "I don't know how much help I can be, but I'll give it a shot. Where do you want to start?"

"I guess with learning to use these chains I can make," Karin said. "They can seal chakra and they're pretty hard. Plus I can manipulate them at will, but if someone is fast enough they'll get around them."

"Maybe you could use them like a whip or flail?" Sakura suggested. "I might have to ask Tenten for advice. She's pretty handy with weapons of all kinds."

They'd really first interacted when she'd visited Lee in the hospital. It just so happened that when Tenten brought up that she was trying to expand on the versatility of her weapon's capabilities, rather than the number she used, Sakura had mentioned she'd heard in passing of a couple of external genjutsu that could be used to that effect. They'd been cordial ever since then, so she could probably get her to instruct Karin once or so.

"If you can, then I'd appreciate it," Karin said, retracting the chain into her palm seamlessly. Once it was gone, she reached over the table with her hand extended. "And thanks for listening to me."

"Don't mention it," Sakura replied, extending her own hand to shake with a slight smile. "Besides, I've actually missed hanging around with you like we did before the Finals. It'll be nice to catch up."


	42. Chapter 42

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Karin found herself stretching in the light of the afternoon sun as she left the hospital. She and Naruto had finally been cleared to leave and were now walking down the streets of the Leaf, their destination unknown at present. "So, what do you want to do first, Naruto?"

He crossed his arms and looked up to the sky. "I kind of want to see what Jiraiya-sensei left at my place, but I also want to talk to Iruka-sensei about what happened with Mizuki. And I need to go see that woman at the Sealing R&D place about getting Byakko's mask remade, and then pick up some books from the Library about my… about the Fourth Hokage."

Karin glanced towards him to see that there was a sullen look in his eyes that clouded them over. Learning who his parents truly were may have answered questions he long since had, but they also put a weight on his shoulders in trying to live up to them and doubt whether or not he could do it. His eyes were a lot more radiant when he was happy to her.

"How about we get something to eat first?" she asked, hoping to distract him from the doubts haunting him. "Then we can decide what we'll do."

His eyes regained some of their luster as the suggestion brought a smile to his face. "Then let's head to Ichiraku's! Ayame-nee was worried about you since she hadn't seen you in a while, and I haven't had some of their ramen since before we left the village."

"I hope she's doing well." Not since the Finals had Karin seen the older woman who seemed to consider herself an older sister to him, a feeling that was mutual considering that Naruto looked a bit happier too at the thought of eating his favorite dish and seeing someone close to him.

 _That's good enough for now,_ Karin supposed as she followed behind him as they made their way towards the food stand. He needed to take his mind off of everything right now. Yet when they arrived Naruto's cheerful expression turned to one of surprising disbelief as he found two seats at his favorite eating place occupied.

"What are you doing here?" Naruto asked in a heated voice, pointing a finger to the Inuzuka boy, who was in the process of eating a bowl of beef ramen.

If it offended the boy, it didn't show as he finished slurping up strands of noodles hanging out of his mouth and pointed his chopsticks towards the little ninja pup that was on the seat next to him. "I thought I'd swing by after getting paid since Akamaru likes the place and the food's pretty good."

"Aww, you're sweet, Kiba-kun," Ayame said from behind the counter, before she flashed the Uzumaki pair a smile. "Come on over you two!"

Naruto took a seat next to the ninja pup, giving it a pat on the head when it yipped at him, and then addressed Ayame. "Where's Teuchi?"

"Handling some business across town," she said. "Though he has been asking about you. Where've you two been?"

"Smells like they've been in the hospital," Kiba said before Naruto could answer, earning a glare from him. "What? The scent is still fresh."

"You two didn't get hurt, did you?" Ayame asked.

Naruto's glare lingered on the Inuzuka before he answered her. "We just ran into some trouble on a mission." It was obviously an understatement if Karin ever heard one, but he didn't want to worry her. "We're both cleared now, so it's fine. Isn't that right, Karin-chan?"

"Yeah," Karin said, forcing a smile to ease any concerns she may have had. "It was just a few scratches and Naruto kept me safe the entire time. There's nothing to worry about at all now."

 _"Hrm…"_ She looked at Karin suspiciously with a raised brow and her hands on her hips. "I can usually tell when Naruto's lying, but you're harder to read." Her expression relaxed. "Well, since you're both here now and look okay, I'll buy it. Now what will you both have, on the house?"

"Can I have a bowl of the usual?" Naruto asked.

"Sure thing." She then turned to Karin. "And what'll you have?"

Karin looked up at the menu to see what they had to offer. The most appealing looking one had shredded vegetables, eggs, and seafood. "I guess I'll have the one on the left. It looks good."

With a slight bob of her head, the brown-haired older girl began to cook for them while Naruto and Kiba held a conversation. Karin mostly stayed out of it. There was nothing she could contribute to it, so she patiently waited for her meal.

"So have you found a place to stay?" Ayame asked when she finished Karin's order first. "Or are you living with Naruto now?"

"No, I've got a place now. It's not that I would mind living with him, but his place isn't really meant to have more than one person living there and I should give him his space."

"I suppose you're right." She set the bowl down in front of her. "A girl does need her personal space, after all."

"Yeah…" Karin trailed off as she recalled the shared home she had with Anko. Guilt snaked its way down her throat and into the pit of her stomach when she thought about the final time she'd seen the woman, forcing her to shake her head in an effort to push it aside for now and enjoy her meal.

 **[-oOo-]**

"Come back again!" Ayame said cheerfully as Naruto, Karin, and Kiba departed from the stall after finishing their food. It hadn't taken them long to eat and they had other things to tend to, so they were off. Once they were out of view, Ayame sighed softly and then proceeded to go back and check on the stock.

"Ayame-nee?"

The familiar voice stilled her legs. She turned to find Naruto standing there and then peeked over the edge of the counter to see that he was alone. "Naruto, I thought you left with the others?"

"I'm a Shadow Clone," he said. "The original me is with Karin-chan."

"Oh, right. I remember those from the competition." She idly wondered how useful it would be to have multiple versions of herself running around the shop for when things got busy. Or to have them do the work entirely while she studied on new meals to add to the menu, since she'd hoped to one day expand her father's business into a full restaurant some day. "Is there something wrong?"

"The original me wanted to ask you something, since we figured you'd know about this kind of stuff, but not with the others around."

He looked bashful as he spoke, which was unusual for him. It immediately roused her curiosity, so she invited him to come in and talk to her about it. The clone entered into the back of the shop and then told her that Karin-chan had confessed that she fell in love with him. The revelation had left him unsure of what to do.

"Okay, I see why you'd want to talk about this," she said from her perch against the wall as she finished listening to him. "I imagine you don't have a lot of experience with that sort of thing?"

He shook his head. "I've been putting it off since she told me during the Finals, but I think that I should answer her after everything we've gone through."

"During the Finals… was that when she kissed you on the cheek?"

"No, it was after the match with Neji." He looked down to the floor and a blush came over his face. "She kissed me on the lips then. It felt… different from when she kissed me on the cheek. A lot different."

 _Some kids are surprisingly forward these days._ She leaned down a bit and looked Naruto in the eyes. "She hasn't been pressuring you for an answer or… anything else, has she?"

Naruto shook his head again, slowly. "She's only asked that I don't abandon her, but other than that she hasn't asked me to give her an answer or anything. Not that I was going to abandon her at all. I wouldn't do that."

"Of course you wouldn't. There's no one I know who values the people around him as much as you." She rubbed his hair and smiled reassuringly. "Can you tell me how you feel about her right now?"

"I care about her a lot," he said. "And she's been there for me a lot too. I want to respond to that somehow, but at the same time I'm afraid that if I do something wrong that I'll lose even that. It's scary, you know?"

"Well, it's good that you don't want to rush beyond what you feel comfortable doing right now. But a relationship isn't just one-sided." Ayame stood up straight, placed her hands on her hips, and puffed out her chest. "A girl likes feeling special, so you should do something to show that she does mean more to you. That's how you need to respond to her."

"But I don't really know how to do anything for her other than be next to her," Naruto said.

Ayame stated the simple solution. "Then take her on a date."

Naruto grew pensive at the suggestion. "I used to ask Sakura-chan on dates all the time, but I really didn't have much of an idea what that would consist of other than visiting different places and eating together. And I did all that with Karin-chan before she confessed, so would that really be enough?"

"Just because you did it before doesn't mean it won't have any meaning." Ayame smiled and held a finger up. "In fact, I bet she loved that most of all. Spending time with someone you care about is one of the best things you can do for them. Do you know why?"

His lips and brows upturned as he seriously thought about it. Ultimately, he shook his head. "I can't put it into words, but when I think about it I feel like you're right."

"That's because time is one of the few things you can't get back. Every day, every minute, is precious because there's no telling how long you'll live. So when you give someone your full attention and time, they're getting something from you that's irreplaceable. Like right now for instance—I'm giving you advice and time instead of brushing you off because you're someone I care about."

Realization colored his eyes. He understood now that even if people don't realize it on their own, it was how they showed that they cared for others. "Then a date might be good since we won't be living the village for a while. I just need to think about what's involved in it."

"Just do whatever you feel is right here." She set her hand on his chest, over his heart. "As sweet as you are, I'm sure she'll really be happy with whatever you decide."

The words of encouragement made him relax and smile. "Thanks for the advice, Ayame-nee. I knew I could count on you."

"Anytime, Naruto." She gave him a brisk hug. "Tell me how it goes when you do decide, okay?"

He nodded as she released him and then vanished in a slight poof of smoke. Ayame stared at the spot for a moment before crossing her arms. She couldn't help but smile fondly as she recalled how he'd grown since they first met. "I hope it goes well for him."

 **[-oOo-]**

Ayame's advice remained in Naruto's mind as he and Karin entered the Sealing R&D building. There he met with Narue Tsuda again, who headed the research into the masks and what they entailed. She took the news of Byakko's destruction… better than Naruto would have expected.

"It's a waste that the original was destroyed along with whatever knowledge it had, but it's better than losing either of you since the Divine Beasts can be replaced. Given the trouble you had in the Land of Honey, I'm just happy that's the only loss."

Naruto blinked. "You know about that?"

She nodded, the act of which caused her ponytail to waver. "The information wasn't exactly restricted and when my boyfriend came home with injuries, he explained that his trip to the Land of Honey had complications."

 _Boyfriend?_ Naruto took a second to recall what was said during the trip, a bit of small talk between him and the seasoned Chuunin that were accompanying him on the way there. And the hour-long lecture on how a sealing formula operated. "You mean Okei?"

"We studied the Sealing Arts together and there was a connection there, but I chose to work here full-time while he chose to enter into a different department. On a technical level, I'm more familiar with the mechanics of how various sealing scripts work. On a practical level, he's the one who uses them in the field."

Naruto recalled the vapor that Okei had used when it chased his clones around until he recognized them. "Like the poisonous smoke snake thing he did?"

"Technically, it can work with all sorts of gases as long as the volume they take up and density is within the range of what the sealing script was designed to handle with the space of the slip. It basically takes the stored gas and layers a thin membrane of chakra over it as it's released to allow him to control it as a sort of appendage. It's much simpler and cost-effective than threading his chakra through each particle and trying to control it like that."

"Is he doing okay?" Naruto asked. He had left so abruptly and it was in bad-taste given that it was without notice. But Karin was in danger and he hadn't a second to waste.

"He's doing fine enough to keep busy, so you don't need to worry." She rose to her feet with a huff. "Anyway, I'll put in the order for the mask to be reproduced for you and it should be ready in a few days. During that time, we'll have you both try to converse with the other masks so we can learn more about the Divine Priests and Priestess. I believe that using them we can unravel the mysteries of the Divine Gods."

"Are they really that complicated compared to Byakko?" Karin asked.

"The sealing work on the Divine Beasts was amazing, but simplistic compared to the Divine Priests and Priestess. And those pale in comparison to the Divine Gods. I can't even imagine what they're capable of. The thought actually makes me excited!"

Naruto could see that it did from how she was holding her arms and shivering. He still wasn't used to that. "You said that the Priests and Priestess had over thirty layers before. Does that mean the Gods have even more?"

"Oh yes! From what we've gathered so far, we estimate there around one hundred and four layers... and counting. It must've taken your ancestors years to carve them all so precisely onto such a small space. I imagine that they had specialist who did that sort of thing—in fact, that's one of the questions I want you to ask them."

Karin looked mildly intrigued, brows folded in slightly as she held a finger to chin in thought. She had always expressed an interest in learning about their clan's past, so who better than they? "That does sound interesting. But the chakra needed would require that we take the masks to charge them over the course of days."

"Not necessarily if our latest sub-projects work." She spun on the soles of her feet and made for the door. "Follow me."

Karin sent Naruto an aside glance as the older woman began to giggle excitedly. He could only shrug his shoulders before they followed after her. She led them further inside of the building and then down a flight of stairs to a room below that was divided into two parts. One was an observation room, with glass panes and equipment Naruto wasn't familiar with. The other was a white room covered in sealing script that ran from the floor to the walls with the focal points being two different circles with a large sigil inside of them.

"So, what do you think?" Narue asked. "We had a meeting with a Yamanaka on some of our ideas on how to make a spiritual link audible to everyone. Between that and a couple of us, were able to get this set up. When you activate the masks and remain inside of the circles, we can hear what they're saying—in theory. Pretty cool, right?"

Naruto cautiously looked around at the room. "You… really planned this out, huh?"

"Yep." She walked over to the control panel and then took out square slips that were on them. "And these little beauties are designed to absorb your Yang chakra. All you have to do is channel into them before you go to bed and when you come back bring them all. We'll then feed them to one of the Divine Priests masks and use it to sustain the construct while you converse with it."

It sounded simple enough. Naruto took them and placed them into his pocket before they took their leave. Narue wished them well and escorted them out of the building, leaving the pair once more on the streets of the Leaf.

It was only then that Karin spoke. "That woman was…" She took a moment to try to come up with a proper way to put her feelings into words. "She's really… enthusiastic."

Naruto couldn't help but nod as he recalled their first meeting. "At least she didn't hug you to the point where you could barely breathe."

Karin's looked mildly surprised at that bit of information. "She did that?"

"She was really enthusiastic." He laughed sheepishly while scratching the back of his head, wisely deciding not to bring up that the embrace was soft or the part where she mentioned locking them up until they had children. "Even the thought of spending her life working on it doesn't seem to bother her too much. That's dedication for you."

Karin looked a bit wistful at that. "I won't argue with you there. So many things have been lost due to time and war, so it's probably good that she's enthusiastic about it."

That said, the two continued their walk throughout the streets of the Leaf, side-by-side.

 **[-oOo-]**

The sound of splintering wood and the crackle of electricity filled the air of the training ground within the Uchiha district, at the edge of the village. Sasuke watched as the tree tumbled over, the lightning covering his hand fading as he panted with hard and heavy breaths. The tree that had weathered the ages and years had been toppled by the anger that had built up within his chest like a flame that wouldn't stop burning.

They had trapped him within the village, forbidding him from going out on missions until further notice. Worse, Kakashi was away right now and there was no one else who could teach him how to use his Sharingan to its fullest. He clenched his fist in anger. _How am I supposed to get stronger at this rate?_

 _"Ah, you shouldn't be so violent to nature as a means to vent your aggression,"_ a voice whispered from behind him.

He turned, flinging a trio of shuriken towards the source in one swift motion. Each one buried their points into a tree. But there was no body to be found.

"Nice to see your reflexes haven't dulled since we last talked." This time it came from in front of him, louder.

Sasuke's head snapped around, fingers tight on a chakra blade as he drew it from his back pouch and held it at the ready. He didn't drop it, even when he recognized the figure now in front of him. "You're supposed to be dead."

Orochimaru smiled. "Death is but a mere inconvenience to me."


	43. Chapter 43

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

The Sharingan flared to life in the wake of Orochimaru's presence. A swirl of colors greeted Sasuke immediately, a discrepancy within the man's chakra compared to when they last met in the Forest of Death. Since he never forgot what he saw as long as he had his Sharingan active, it stuck out. "Your chakra is different."

"Perceptive." The Snake Sannin smirked. "You've gotten better with noticing such things. Let's just say that it is a consequence of my demise and resurrection. Normally, I would stay in my lab until it settled, but I wanted to see how well you've progressed in my absence. However, should you need further proof that I am who I am…"

Sasuke sucked in a sharp breath in surprise as the Cursed Seal reacted beneath the seal placed over it when the pale man pointed to him. Markings crawled like ivy over his neck and collarbone, leaving Sasuke with little doubt it was him. "How are you even still alive?"

"One of the fruits of my research has been ways to break the cycle of death. I once desired to do the same for the village, but the Old Fool saw my methods as too… unsavory. So no matter how many times I am killed, I can be resurrected and try again to accomplish my goals."

Considering his point proven, Orochimaru dropped his hand and the seal went inert as he looked around at the training ground. "Such wanton destruction seems a bit excessive, but I suppose it's understandable with your abrupt and unexplained imprisonment within the village."

"They just said that Kakashi was on a mission and that I wouldn't be allowed to leave until I got express permission from the Hokage," Sasuke said. "They didn't give me a reason why, but I'm guessing it's because you came back and they think it'll keep me safe."

"A foolish reason when you consider that I'm standing right in front of you at this very moment. If I desired to take you there would be nothing they could do to stop me." He chuckled when he saw that caused Sasuke to frown defensively. "Not that I was implying that you would be easy for me to take, merely that the village has no way to do as they claim. Another example would be how your brother and Kisame, two members of Akatsuki, entered the village, maimed three of the elites among their forces, and then left."

Tempering himself, Sasuke did recall his brother was talking to someone who was dressed the same during their encounter. The shark-looking man. "What is Akatsuki and why are they helping him?"

"They're a group of S-Class shinobi who have abandoned their villages and act as mercenaries," Orochimaru explained. "Or at least that's how they market themselves. The truth is a bit more complicated in that they gather information on Jinchuuriki, such as that Gaara child and your little teammate. I suspect they intend to hunt them down soon."

A jolt of surprise ran through Sasuke at that… and then things started making a lot more sense. Itachi had made it clear he intended to return after bonds of friendship had been fostered while he thought Sasuke was unconscious. That must've been what he planned to do. He was going to come back for Naruto in order to get him to attain the next level of his Sharingan and accomplish his mission at the same time.

Orochimaru waited for Sasuke to digest that in his head before he spoke again. "Tell me something, Sasuke-kun. You've seen the gap between you and Itachi once more, so I ask you this question: Do you intend to continue to seeking vengeance against him?"

"I will kill him," Sasuke said immediately, burning hatred in his voice. "That will never change! My clan will be avenged!"

"I have no doubt you desire to do so, but I'm asking if you believe that will be allowed to?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the implication that he needed to be _allowed_ to do what he was obligated to as the sole survivor of their clan. For an Uchiha, one was supposed to honor their family and fallen. There was nothing more important than that. "I don't need permission to do anything."

The Shake Sannin shook his head. "Leaving aside the fact that you are a shinobi of this village and thus bound to the Hokage's words, you are the last of your clan. Do you really think that they would allow such an encounter when the first sign of my resurrection they squirrel you away without telling you anything? You would be lucky if word ever reached you of him being sighted, let alone being allowed to face Itachi."

Sasuke clenched his fist hard enough that his arm began to tremble. They hadn't even told him when Itachi showed up before. It was only because of a slip of the tongue that he knew. "I don't care what they will _allow_ me to do. I'm going to make Itachi pay for killing my family, and everyone in my clan. No one is getting in the way of that!"

Orochimaru looked into the pair of Sharingan unwavering, as though looking for any trace of doubt in his words. He clearly liked what he saw because his lips turned upwards as he reached behind his back and pulled out two scrolls. "That's just what I wanted to hear. Take these then."

Sasuke caught the two scrolls lazily tossed his way. "What are these?"

"The first is a temporary contract of sorts to the Snake Summonings that I use," he explained. "I'm sure that you know by now that there is a barrier of sorts around the village that detects when one leaves the grounds or enter it through ordinary means. If you sign it then you'll be able to perform one summoning and they will be able to reverse summon you in turn. Through this method you will be able to leave the village should you choose to abandon it to seek out your vengeance without them being aware, ensuring that you aren't simply dragged back minutes after your departure. If you wish to establish a more permanent contract that can be arranged at a later date."

Sasuke confirmed as much by opening it up and viewing it himself. "And the second?"

"A storage scroll containing everything you would need to elevate my little gift to you to the next level," Orochimaru said. "I would suggest going through all the details beforehand and following them precisely, should you choose to unlock the power within it."

Sasuke looked at him suspiciously as he slipped the scrolls into his back pouch. "Why are you just giving these to me? What do you gain from this?"

"That is a good question," Orochimaru said as he tapped on his chin in thought. "I can give you a number of reasons for doing so. For example, I have my own grievances against your brother and think it would be excellent if he died by your hands. And I do take some pleasure in preserving and documenting rare bloodlines that are on the verge of extinction. However, I don't really think that it matters all that much what reason I give you, since you only seek to whatever power you can get your hands on to deal with your brother."

"Is that a problem?" Sasuke asked.

"There's no shame in desiring to be stronger in this world, Sasuke-kun." A sinister chuckle echoed from Orochimaru's throat as his body began to turn into mud and fall apart. "I won't judge you for the means by which you accomplish your goal, as it would make me a hypocrite. Until that day comes when you decide to leave this village behind and come to me, I'll simply settle for watching you grow from the shadows. _Don't disappoint me…._ "

Soon there was nothing left but mud and silence in the clearing, leaving Sasuke alone with his thoughts as the words of the Snake Sannin slithered their way into his heart. While he didn't trust what the man said, he did need all the power he could muster if he was going to carry out his vengeance. It still left the scrolls in his pouch feeling heavy...

 **[-oOo-]**

At the same time that Sasuke was gifted by the Snake Sannin, a low rumble left Naruto's throat as he looked over the information he was bequeathed by the Toad Sage while he was absent. It contained information he'd gathered on Naruto's parents and homeland, as well as a few scrolls on other things. That unfortunately included homework, for lack of a better term.

He had to do research on some of the politics of the village and things of that nature. They were things a Hokage needed to know, and while Naruto supposed it was better to learn about it now rather than later, it didn't change the fact that it was really boring and took him effort to get through. "It feels like it's making my brain ache."

"Suck it up," one of his clones said as it looked through one of the technique scrolls that was left behind. It was an invisibility technique of some kind that would aid him in escaping fights that it would be better to retreat from, rather than stick it out to where he'd need the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra to deal with. His access to that chakra was still sealed anyway.

If Naruto had to be honest, he was hoping he might find the Fourth Hokage's technique within it. But Jiraiya left a note saying that while he would have left what he knew of his father's Flying Thunder God technique, which was little given that his home and notes were destroyed during the Fox's rampage, he was afraid that Naruto would accidentally teleported himself into a wall without someone overseeing him. That happened during a testing with a Shadow Clone, apparently.

The original Naruto turned from his perch on his bed towards the clone and shot him a glare. "You don't get to complain. You're the one who gets to look at the technique while I get glorified Academy work."

The clone shrugged. "Not my fault you picked paper when you should have picked rock."

The original's eyes narrowed until he was leering at his clone. "You do remember I can dispel you, right?"

"True, but we know you won't." A smug grin formed on the clone's face. "After all, that would mean you couldn't win an argument with yourself and decided to take the easy way out. And all the other clones you make will know it too, so you're stuck with it."

"Neither one of you gets to complain," another clone chimed in from the table, whose head was buried in a book that the original picked up from the Library after dropping Karin off at her place. "I'm the one stuck here trying to figure out how to do this date thing and the book you picked out on dating a kunoichi might not have been the wisest choice. I now know more about the ways that I can be killed for so much as saying the wrong thing to a woman and having it misinterpreted into a threat or double-meaning than a man should know. Not that we can do most of the things in this book for a number of reasons."

"Like what?" asked the original. He had picked up the book because he was trying to follow Ayame's advice and create an experience for her to remember, but he wanted it to be special as well. Granted, he just skimmed it since he wanted to get home rather than give it an in-depth review.

The second clone closed the book and counted off on his fingers. "Like creating a block of stone with an Earth technique and then carving it into her likeness using only a butter knife and Wind chakra, or using a Fire technique to cook something to perfection while putting on a performance blindfolded, or using a genjutsu to create a fancy illusion."

"We don't know how to do any of that."

"No, but it did give me some ideas on what we could do," the second clone said. "You remember that night she taught us how to do the Water-Walking exercise?"

The original Naruto rubbed his chin as he thought back to that moment. He could vividly recall her scent and the warmth of her body against his as they danced beneath the pale moon. "Yeah, how could I forget?"

"We could do something like that, having dinner on the lake's surface with floating candles and everything."

"That'll work," he agreed. "I can reserve a practice field and then have a bunch of clones make sure that it's clean and tidy by the time night comes around. Maybe even have a few disguised like servers in a fancy restaurant."

"But how exactly do you plan to stay afloat while having dinner?" asked the first clone. "We want her attention to be on enjoying herself, not concentrating on trying not to sink or risking running out of chakra."

"And then we'd need to deal with any bugs flying around in the area," the other clone added. "And find something nice to cook. That or take-out."

The original sighed as he rubbed the back of his head. His clones were making good points. He then looked at his clock. "Alright, it's getting late and I've got to do the seal thing for the mask, so—"

The second clone jumped up and snapped his fingers as inspiration struck. Then, instead of explaining it, the clone grinned and then willingly dispersed itself. The thought process that branched from the others was instantly inserted into their minds as the chakra making it up returned to them.

"That could work," the remaining clone said. "I mean, we'd have to ask around a lot, but it could work."

The original nodded. "We'll do that in the morning, after we visit Gaara. For now though, write up the list of things we need and people we need to talk to. I'm going to take a shower."

 **[-oOo-]**

The next day, the rattle of Chakra Chains filled the air as Karin swung them around her with a spin, whereupon they met with the incoming kunai and deflected them. She then brought her arms around while extending the length produced from her palms and then angled them downwards. The ends of the chains, which were sharp points meant to penetrate, speared towards the kunoichi standing opposite of her.

The kunoichi of Team Gai, Tenten, flipped to the side and out of the way of the initial attempt, leaving them to penetrate the ground harmlessly. But the serpentine chains quickly forced themselves out from beneath her, having tunneled through the ground, and would have entwined her if she hadn't dodged again. She quickly reached into her pouch and then threw down a smoke bomb to obscure her from view.

It was useless. Karin's Mind's Eye could track her chakra down and allowed her to manipulate her chains towards Tenten. They snaked her way and tried to encircle her until she recognized the throwing motion being made right before a flurry of shuriken burst from the smoke towards her. Karin barely managed to duck in time, only for something hard to hit her on the head. "Ow!"

She broke off the chains and rubbed her head where she'd been hit. A glance to the ground showed what had hit her. It was a practice stick, the kind used for sparring in place of a short-sword, with a wire wrapped around it.

"If this had been a chain-sickle, it would have buried itself right into your skull," Tenten said as she emerged from the smoke and pulled on the wire, sending it back to her as she took up a starting stance again. "If your focus is on manipulating the chains to chase someone down, you'll be vulnerable to projectiles or being blindsided from behind or above. Only try something like that if you're ambushing them from a safe location."

"Got it." Karin entered into the same stance. They had been going at it since this morning, when Sakura had introduced her to the weapon-enthusiast. Once Tenten gave the nod to begin again, Karin thrust her arm forward while launching a chain long enough to cross the distance with a weight on the end.

It was dodged as Tenten ducked off to the side. Then she countered by pulling out a sealing slip and injecting chakra into it. From the sealing script emerged a spray of senbon towards Karin, the steel rain spreading wide as it crossed the distance.

Karin was forced to dodge by diving out of the way and into a roll. Or at least she intended to until her arm was jerked back and she fell short, landing on her side rather than a neat roll. She winced as she looked to see that Tenten had shoved a kunai through a link in the chain and then into the ground, pinning it into place.

"Don't leave your chain extended when it's connected to your body," Tenten lectured. "Someone as strong as Gai-sensei or Lee would be able to send you flying with a tug just from how strong they are. Now keep going."

Karin dismissed that chain while swinging her other hand around. Another chain emerged from the palm and lashed out, forcing Tenten to jump back out of range. Rising to her feet, Karin retracted it to a more manageable length to avoid a repeat of what just happened.

The practice session continued until later that evening. Steel littered the training ground by the time that Tenten called an end to it and they started retrieving them, as was etiquette for the use of the field. They had roughly gathered them all up when Sakura returned with Naruto in tow.

"Did you have a nice training session?" Naruto asked.

Karin nodded. "I've got the basics down at least."

"You'll have to develop your own style from here on," Tenten said in response to that. "Just remember to keep the length of the chains down to something manageable. It's easier and quicker to control that way using momentum, allows you more freedom of movement, and you'll be able to surprise them when you do control it."

"I understand," Karin said, giving her a slight bow. "Thank you for doing this for me."

"It's not a problem. We kunoichi need to stick together after all and I got the chance to see how to deal with a Sensor, so it was a fair exchange."

That said and done, Naruto, Sakura, and Karin made their way back towards the residential area of the village. Along the way, Karin did her best not to look suspicious as Naruto and Sakura exchanged whispers with one another. She expected they would have some secrets between them and didn't want to seem pushy with him after telling Sakura how she felt about him, so she bottled her questions until they reached a crossroads. That was where Sakura split off to head elsewhere, after sighing and then giving Naruto a nod.

Once the two Uzumaki were alone, Naruto asked, "Karin-chan, do you have something planned this weekend?"

"Not that I know of," she said. "Is there something you want me to do, like cook?"

"Nah, I've just got a little surprise planned for you," he said with a grin on his face. "It's just going to take me a bit to get it ready by then, but I'm sure you'll like it."

The way he framed that did leave her curious, but what that surprise was remained unsaid as he finished escorting her home. No matter. She could wait until then to find out, and she was sure if it was something he thought of it would be something she liked.


	44. Chapter 44

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

The night air felt chill against Karin's face as it whipped past her unseen. It was the weekend and Naruto had asked her to join him for dinner, which seemed simple enough. But then he stated that it was a special place that he wanted to take her to using Suzaku, and asked that she wear a blindfold and not use her Mind's Eye to avoid ruining the surprise.

That set off some alarms in her head. She couldn't fathom why he'd ask her to do that, but the use of her Mind's Eye prior to accepting revealed that it was him and he wasn't under the influence of foreign chakra. So she put her trust in her clansman and accepted his terms.

Still, it was unnerving to be flying blindly like this. A weight settled in her stomach as she tried not to panic and fought against the instinctive desire to activate her Mind's Eye while her physical eyes were blindfolded. Instead, she tightened her hold on the warm figure nestled against her and ensured that she was still anchored to the Vermillion Bird through chakra.

"We're almost there," Naruto said with his voice raised to be heard over the rushing wind that whipped at their hair. "I promise you'll like it."

"I'll take your word for it," Karin said, holding him tighter. It was less out of fear this time and more because he felt warm to the touch. That and, if she was being honest with herself, she enjoyed the feeling of comfort it brought without putting any pressure on him.

Their flight continued on for a few minutes until she felt a shift in the air and gravity. They were descending. Suzaku landed softly and then lowered itself onto the ground for them to un-mount.

"I guess we must be here now?" Karin released the anchor she had to it and moved to lower herself. She hadn't even set a foot on the ground before she felt herself being lifted into Naruto's arms, one around her back and the other beneath her knees. "Eh?"

"Let me carry you until we reach it," he said. "It won't take a minute."

 _Whatever this surprise is, it must be elaborate,_ she thought to herself as she felt heat pooling in her cheeks while being held like this. She kept silent as he moved forward, but the sound of water shifting under foot with each step led her to believe that they were in the middle of a pond or lake. And there was a scent, a hint of sweetness tingeing it to the point where it slightly tickled her nose. _What could he be planning?_

The unasked question was answered when Naruto eventually came to a stop and set her down in what felt like a chair. "We're here. You can take the blindfold off."

She lowered it from her eyes and rested it around her neck before reaching for her glasses, which were perched on the collar of her long-sleeved lavender blouse. It ran long, down to her black pants to cover up her skin entirely. The moment she put them on and her vision cleared, a surprised gasp slid out of her mouth as she took in the surroundings.

Dark water stretched out around them, small lily pads with candles in paper lanterns burning the sweet incense as they drifted left and right. Motes of light hung in the air like suspended rain drops, glittering in intervals between stone columns rising out the water marked with the crest of their clan. The stars above were shining brightly as well, like diamonds woven into the night sky.

"Was this the surprise you mentioned?" she asked, looking back towards Naruto. He had dressed up somewhat in a different outfit than his usual jumpsuits, instead wearing a dark shirt and black pants. Next to him was a table that had a serving platter with a lid on it and candles burning next to it.

"Yeah… well…" He looked off to the side, a nervous smile on his face as he gathered himself. "I wanted to do something special, so I called in a few favors and… _arranged for a date…_ "

There was a moment of silence as his words registered. Then she felt heat bubbling up in her chest and then rising to her head as she blushed, completely flustered. "This is a date!?"

"If that's okay," Naruto quickly added. "I wanted it to be a surprise for you, so I couldn't ask if it was fine. But—"

"No, it's fine! It's fine!" She rose to her feet. "I mean, if you had told me ahead of time I probably would have told you not to go out of your way for me. But since I thought we were just eating together casually, I just threw on something appropriate for going out in public. If I had expected something like this I would have done something with my hair, or maybe spray on perfume, or wear something more attractive."

"You look cute—" He shook his head. "No, beautiful the way you are."

"That's sweet of you to say." Seeing how nervous he seemed, Karin took a moment to pull herself together. He had clearly done all of this to set a mood, but it was still something he didn't seem confident in. She couldn't let him think he'd done something wrong. "And you look handsome too, Naruto."

"Ah… thanks." His shoulders relaxed, all the tension in his body growing slack. "I had a talk with Ayame-nee a few days ago about how to set a date properly, because I wanted to respond to what you told me. About being in love with me…"

Karin brushed her hair at that. "I didn't want you to feel pressured to answer that."

"I know," he said. "But I want to. I want to tell you that I'm still learning what it means to know what it's like to love someone. I mean, I care about others a lot. If I can protect them, then I will even if it costs me my life. That's part of what I determined in the Land of Waves."

She knew that much. It was part of why she cared so much for him.

"But it's different with you," he continued, putting a hand over his heart. "When I'm with you, I feel… happy, in a different way than when I'm with everyone else. And the thought of losing you and that happiness makes my heart feel heavy, so I'm scared that I'll make a mistake and endanger that."

His words weighed on her heart in the opposite direction, making it feel lighter as her pulse quickened. She walked closer and reached out her hands, cupping his cheeks to gently straighten his head towards her. Then she leaned close until their foreheads were touching.

"I feel the same way, Naruto," she told him. "It's confusing for me as well. I've never felt like this for anyone else and I'm scared that I might do something to push you away. But it feels right for me, so I want to take it slow."

"Me too," Naruto said, so close that his breath wafted against her skin. It was minty-fresh, a detail she would normally overlook. But they were so close that Karin noticed not only his breath, but also how his skin also had a freshly-washed scent to it and his eyes had a nervous glimmer in them.

She found all of it cute and wondered how easy it would be to lean forward, tilt her head to the side slightly, and then kiss him like this. The stray thoughts led to her lips towards his, only for her to catch herself and twist his head to the side just enough to instead kiss his cheek. Compared to kissing him on the lips again, it was probably the safer option since she didn't want to push him out of his comfort zone.

Pulling back and clearing her throat as he blushed furiously, Karin then turned to the table and serving platter. "So what are we having for dinner?"

 **[-oOo-]**

"Looks like you didn't mess up," Sakura said as she watched them sit down to eat from her perch at the base of the tree, just outside of the area where she overlaid an external Genjutsu over the surface of the lake in the training field. Next to her was a clone of Naruto, actively overseeing how the date was going.

"Yeah," he said with a goofy grin as he rubbed his cheek where Karin kissed the original. "I was worried that I had made a mistake or something, but it looked like it worked out. Thanks for helping out."

When Naruto had approached her and talked about what he had planned, Sakura found some hesitation in using her growing prowess with illusions in this manner. The False Surroundings technique was simplistic in that it was only C-ranked, but it took some creativity and effort to get the image just right to make it look as well as it did.

"I know you asked me to arrange for the illusion, but I still don't know how you set all this up," Sakura said. "Much less how you got a giant lily pad here for you to have the dinner on. Walk me through it."

"Well, I wanted to recapture how she taught me how to walk on water as part of my training, since it was a good memory, so I reserved the training field. Then there was the matter of getting something to eat on. I couldn't afford a boat and using transformed clones was a risk since they could sink, plus I didn't want to burn chakra needlessly, so I called up Gamakichi and Gamatatsu for advice."

"You mean the little toads that I see you with every now and again?" Sakura guessed.

"Yeah, that's them. They managed to loan me one of Toad Boss' lily pads that he uses as a floating sake tray. Then there was dealing with any mosquitoes and bugs around, so I asked Ino for anything I can burn to keep them away since she knows about plants and stuff. As for dinner, Ayame-nee had me go get the ingredients for a romantic meal and said she'd prepare it, so I picked up some pork, ginger, rice, curry, and some other stuff."

"That does looks delicious," Sakura said as she observed the original removing the lid on the serving tray to show the dinner. It was pork cut into slices, glistening with some kind of sauce and layered with what looked to be some kind of grated herbs. Vegetables covered the side and for dessert there looked to be a stack of sweets piled onto one another, with two cups between them.

"Here," the clone said, setting down a sealing slip that released a second serving tray. He removed the lid to show it was a similar meal to what they were eating, if there was less of it. "Ayame-nee wanted to make sure I had enough so that the date went well, but I was afraid if we ate too much then we'd have trouble skating on the water afterwards."

"Thanks," she said as the scent of it enamored her. But before she could take a bite of anything, she froze as a thought came to mind. "Naruto, would you have gone this far for me before when you asked me out on a date all the time?"

His face scrunched up in thought for a moment. Then he shook his head. "… In all honesty, I would have shown you around and taken you to Ichiraku's for dinner. I didn't really get any of this stuff before now, or what it'd mean to really ask someone out until Ayame-nee explained it to me. No wonder you were always upset when I asked."

"Part of that was me overreacting," Sakura said. "I probably wouldn't have done any better, so seeing you pull something like this off actually surprises me with how mature you've gotten when it comes to this sort of thing."

He nodded as he looked out to the original as he said something that made Karin laugh. "I want to do this right, so I asked for help with things I didn't know rather than trying to do it all myself."

His answer left Sakura feeling a bit envious there. This sort of set-up was something that she used to picture doing with Sasuke not even a few months ago. But as time went on, Sakura saw him less as her ideal and more of the person he really was. And as much as she wanted to help him, like she was helping Naruto, he wouldn't let her.

"Naruto, have you seen Sasuke recently?" she asked.

"… No, I haven't," he said after some thought. "He's probably mad since he's been stuck in the village all this time. When he gets like that, he doesn't like to be around others, so it makes sense we wouldn't see him wandering around the village."

"I just wish he'd let us help him, but he's really starting to act like he was before we were a team," Sakura said. "It's only been a short time since then, it's felt like so much has changed."

"It'll be okay," Naruto's clone said. "I promise, Sasuke will come around in time. Kakashi-sensei will probably be able to talk to him once he gets back, so don't worry about it so much."

"I guess you're right," she conceded. There was really nothing to be gained by worrying at the moment. That concern briefly shelved, she finally tasted the food that had been given to her and found it to be exquisite. "I've got to ask for her for recipe to this."

 **[-oOo-]**

Kakashi felt his ears burning. Not from his students talking, but from how dangerously close a stream of flames so thick it was almost a solid object slammed into the earthen wall he raised and lapped at the edges. It turns out the original location they had scouted out had been cleared out, barring moving corpses that had to be destroyed. But the move had been sudden enough that there was a trail his nin-dogs could follow, so they spent their time tracking it down given that they picked up Kabuto's scent.

He figured they were on the right track when abominations burst out to greet them, monsters that were once men only to be warped by the Cursed Seal.

As the flames refused to stop coming out, Kakashi made a set of hand-seals and thrust his hand into the bulwark that he raised. It burst into shrapnel that speared forward and shredded holes in its body. The flames stopped long enough for him to swoop in with kunai-in-hand while streaming Lightning Chakra and cut off the transformed shinobi's head.

Craning his head around, he watched as Guy slammed his foot into the chest of a Tiger-man, knocking it past another monstrosity that was impaled by wooden pikes spearing from the ground. His sharpened ears could make out the ribs being shattered and driven into his heart and lungs. The same thing happened to the last few they'd encountered, since Kabuto had apparently been handing them out to those who they couldn't give a Cursed Seal to, all in an effort to buy them time.

"It's open!" Jiraiya shouted as he finished getting the door open into the base. He'd already turned the surrounding land into a nightmarish pit of mud just to make sure that anyone trying to escape through the ground would be trapped and drowned. "Kakashi!"

Kakashi came over and revealed his Sharingan to survey the distance. Traps littered it, waiting to discharge and blow everyone who entered the walkway into pieces. "Do we set them all off ahead of time or send in a decoy?"

"We don't have time for that," Jiraiya said as he made hand-seals and then slammed his hands into the walkway. The corridor transformed into the innards of a fire-breathing mountain toad, replacing the interior entirely and whatever traps were in the way to hinder them. "I've made it so that we can walk through while everyone else inside will be trapped. Let's go."

The four-man team pressed on through the corridor, circumventing the traps by Jiraiya literally reshaping the terrain, until they came to a wide-open room that was untouched by the time-space technique. Candles burned on pillars that lined the spacious room, casting an ominous glow over the seat at the back.

That's where Orochimaru sat, fingers laced and hiding his smile as he looked at the four. His shadow was cast deep from his chair. "Jiraiya, I've been waiting for you."

"So, you really were back," Jiraiya said as he stepped forward, eyes narrowing and fist balling up in anger. "You should have stayed dead."

"Come now, we both know that my return was inevitable." He rose from the seat. "I have transcended such a petty thing as death. All you've done is set me back by a few months or years at the most, but I have all the time in the world. Try all you like, but I will return again and again until I fulfill my—"

Wooden spears curved from behind Jiraiya, stemming from Tenzo's outstretched palm to impale the Snake Sannin as he spoke. At the same time, Kakashi and Guy had moved with Body Flickers to come in from the right and left. Between the wooden spikes from the front, the kunai streaming Lightning Chakra from the right, and the sweeping foot carrying enough momentum to shatter his skull from the left, it should have been enough to kill him three times over.

Yet they were all rebuked by wooden pikes that came from his shadow and formed a wall around Orochimaru as he stood there, an unmoving smirk visible on his face. Water followed, a powerful stream that took the shape of a serpentine dragon breaking through the wood and then circling around with its maw open to shatter the offending wooden spikes like toothpicks and drive away the attackers, before spearing towards them all.

Tenzo wrapped them in a dome of thick wood that weathered the rushing water until the dragon lost its cohesion and shattered. He then split the dome in half to clear their line-of-sight and it revealed Orochimaru standing where he did before with two other figures that were unmistakable. After all, who wouldn't recognize the first two Hokage of their village?

"I shattered their coffins during the exams, so that should have destroyed them," Jiraiya said through gritted teeth.

"You may have stopped their resurrection during the Finals, but those were merely vessels sacrificed to house the souls of these two," Orochimaru said as he produced two kunai from behind his back with tags on them. "As long as I have their genetic material and their souls can be reached, I can bring them back over and over."

"You always have to play God, don't you?" Jiraiya asked. "Stealing bodies, trying to burn down the village that you were born in, denying the dead their final rest—you're never content with just leaving things the way they should be, and you don't care who you hurt in the end."

"Of course. I wouldn't be a man of science otherwise," Orochimaru said. "Those that fail to ascend their limitations will wither and die. Only those willing to break free of the natural order and such things as morals will truly make any sort of progress. But enough talk."

He stabbed the kunai into the back of the First and Second Hokage's heads and gave the order. "Kill them all."


	45. Chapter 45

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Three seconds. That's how long it took for the battlefield to be completely reshaped.

In the first second, the First Hokage wordlessly slammed his hands into the ground as the Second Hokage used a single hand-seal. In the second, Tenzo encased their group in a wooden sphere of protection as the world around them trembled in warning. And in the third, the walls that made up the underground base were torn apart from the inside out as invasive roots took hold while water burst from the air, combining to unleash the wrath of nature.

The wooden shell cracked and splintered loudly, straining to avoid being crushed as the shinobi that crafted it braced the sides and gritted his teeth. Then it stopped seconds later. Silence ensued until Tenzo split the shell's casing in half for them to escape now that the roots that sprang up from below had stopped trying to entwine it and violently crush them to death.

They vacated it and landed on the first sylvan footing they could find, only to see that the muddy landscape surrounding the base, which had been warped by Jiraiya's Swamp of the Underworld initially, had been even further twisted from its natural state. It was now filled with murky water that thinned the mud and hardy trees that rose up at the former Hokages' techniques. Even the air was tinged with the scent of decaying matter, adding to the illusion that it had been an old locale forged through nature and time, rather than something crafted within the span of ten minutes by men—or undead men, to be specific.

The sight would have been stolen the breath of average shinobi. And in that moment of doing so, they would have been killed as skewer-thin streams of water speared from the swamp with a rapid spin, meant to drill through them. But, as none of the gathered shinobi were average, they eluded the skewering drills that bore cleanly into the thick branches they were perched on and sprung into combat.

Kakashi revealed his inherited Sharingan as he landed on the water's surface, and the tomoe spun to life. The flow of chakra revealed before him allowed him to avoid the needles of water that sprung from the murky depths with well-timed leaps before rushing towards where Second Hokage was hidden behind a genjustu atop the water. Engaging the revenant with kunai in hand, he refused to give him an inch to make another hand-seal.

At the same time, Might Guy's muscles felt a familiar strain as the Gates of Opening and Healing opened at once to empower him against the First Hokage. The flood of chakra that surged through his body allowed for him to land a fierce kick that slammed into the undead Kage's chest and sent him skirting across the water and into one of his own trees. Bindings of wood then coiled around him as Tenzo came from behind, pinning him into place for Guy to land a stronger blow.

They didn't last a second as the First Hokage tensed his muscle and broke free, meeting Guy's flying kick with his palm to stop it. He then grabbed hold of his ankle and slammed him into the tree hard enough to break it in half. Guy gritted his teeth before opening the Gate of Life and Pain, using the further bolstered strength to pull his leg free and tear off the revenant's arm in the process.

He then slammed his fist into the First Hokage's face and the revenant went sailing back, only to be struck again from behind and be sent flying forward. Then he was struck from the side by a green blur, then from the bottom, and then from the top. Over and over, Might Guy struck from all angle with hammer-like blows before he struck downwards a final time.

The blow carried enough force that the moment the First Hokage's body hit the water it ruptured from the impact. The revenant hit the bottom of the swamp and created a deep depression, broken and battered. Then the water rushed back inwards, obscuring him from sight.

It was seemingly over until wooden spears rose from beneath the surface. Guy avoided them but was caught as the First Hokage appeared behind him and lashed out with a kick that would have shattered a lesser man's spine. Guy bore with it as he landed on the water's surface and then struck back just as hard.

With the two undead Hokage occupied, only Orochimaru and Jiraiya were left to fight alone.

The resurrected Snake Sannin, using the body of his former apprentice, drew a katana from inside of his mouth and brought it around for Jiraiya's head. The Toad Sage deflected it with the use of a kunai in one hand, before bringing his leg up and thrusting it forward like a spear. The bottom of his wooden sandals smashed into the slender body and would have caved in Orochimaru's chest if he hadn't jumped back with the blow.

Jiraiya then spun around so that his long mane of hair was facing his former teammate and sent his chakra into it. The hair strands went rigid as the chakra hardened them into needles. Then he jettisoned them forward in a deathly spray.

There was no dodging it. Even going under the murky water would simply result in the needles skewering him from above. So instead Orochimaru exhaled after filling his lungs with wind chakra and bellowed out a gale that sent the ivory needles flying back. Jiraiya countered the C-Rank technique by spinning around while forming hand-seals and unleashing a flame technique of the same rank. The moment the flames met the wind, they swelled and turned into a raging inferno that would have swallowed Orochimaru whole if he didn't drop down into the water.

Even then steam filled the section of the swamp they were in as the flames evaporated the water. Charred trees caught in its wake smoldered and collapsed into the depths, hindering any attempt to listen for his movements in the water. Feeling the wet heat condense against his skin, Jiraiya abandoned the use of his eyes to instead clasp his hands together as though to pray, releasing a translucent dome that expanded around him.

The expanding barrier allowed him to detect the presence of others within it, regardless of what method Orochimaru used to hide. Sure enough, it quickly caught up to Orochimaru's presence beneath the water. At the same time, he felt a large figure rushing towards him from that direction and barely had time to leap up before the surface of the water was broken.

It was a large snake summoning, mouth gaping wide and ready to swallow him whole. Unable to waste time with it, Jiraiya spat out as much toad oil as he could down its throat and then followed it up with an explosive tag. The flames that were born from within swallowed the serpent whole as the Toad Sage landed and then clasped his hands again to reactivate the detection barrier.

Orochimaru was moving again above the water's surface. Jiraiya couldn't let the man get away again, so naturally he gave chase with the intention of using a sealing scroll he'd prepared just for Orochimaru, under the assumption that he had become weaker after changing bodies. Anko's body may have been compatible, but completely transferring your soul and chakra to someone else just had to have a drawback somewhere.

He redoubled his efforts as they approached the edge of the swamp, only for Orochimaru to look over his shoulder at Jiraiya. And in that brief moment, the Toad Sage caught the faintest hint of a smirk on his face. It set off alarms in his head and made him reconsider what he was doing.

Orochimaru was a slippery snake because he was cautious. Jiraiya had chased the man for a long time now, and it was only by hiding his presence and letting the Snake Sannin be caught by surprise that they'd managed to face one another in the village. Even then, they used the element of surprise and his own barrier to kill him.

So why did this feel… wrong?

 _I'm missing something,_ he realized. There had to be a reason that Orochimaru was running away. He had to have been waiting for them… but why was that the case? If he was weakened, why wait for them to arrive when he could have slipped away sooner?

Did he intend to use the First and Second Hokage to kill them after he left the expendable ones to soften them up? If that was the case, he could have just left them there and given them the order to attack on-sight. Not wait until they entered the room. Unless…

"Damn it!" Jiraiya skid to a stop as the pieces fit together and created a Shadow Clone to remain behind while he rushed back into the swamp. The clone glared at the figure of Orochimaru as he stood there.

"A Shadow Clone?" The Snake Sannin shook his head. "I'm a little insulted."

"Drop the act," the clone said. "You're not him, despite playing the part. If I had to guess, you're that brat he keeps around, Kabuto."

A look of brief surprise crossed 'Orochimaru's' face. It then warped into an amused smile. "And here I thought that I had imitated him perfectly. Then again, Lord Orochimaru warned me that you wouldn't be fooled for long. I have to ask, what gave it away?"

"Orochimaru knows when to go to ground and he wouldn't be sitting on a throne waiting for us to come to him unless he thought he could take us all. You did this to buy time for him, and if you've taken after him then you're not really here as well. Probably one of his expendable flunkies you've rendered brain-dead and turned into a puppet or something."

"Ah… in my defense, the corpse had been prepared for some time now and I simply put it use. Nevertheless, my task has been complete. The First and Second Hokage have been set to kill all of you. Should they lose track of you they will then go on to attack the village, and the only way to release the technique is if Lord Orochimaru deems to. It is our victory."

That said the modified corpse gave a bow to the Shadow Clone. Then it immediately exploded as the clone rushed in to at least wipe it off the face of the planet. Thus both facsimiles of the combatants were removed from the battle.

The original Jiraiya gritted his teeth in anger as he inherited the memories from the clone. Again Orochimaru had made fools of them and would escape reprisal for now. He was always one step ahead, getting away with causing pain to others, and it infuriated Jiraiya.

But he grounded his anger. Pushed it aside as he grabbed hold of the scroll meant to seal away Orochimaru amd made his way towards where the fighting continued. It could still be used if he repurposed it—

 **ROOOAARRRR!**

The train of thought was scattered by the thunderous shrieking of dragons. Four of them roared at the top of their lungs, manifestations of the Water Dragon and Wood Dragon techniques brought forth by the undead pair of Hokage and Tenzo with Kakashi. Coiling their serpentine bodies around one another, they battled by snapping their jaws in a contest of power as they tore one another apart.

While they were pre-occupied, Might Guy appeared in a blur through the opening with his nunchucks chambered. The moment he swung them both, the revenants entire upper bodies were gone from the sheer force of the impact backed by four gates. He swung again to scatter the lower halves of their bodies as well, and then leapt back towards the others as Jiraiya arrived.

"Lord Jiraiya, did you apprehend Orochimaru?" Guy asked, his skin red as blood pumped through his body at an accelerated pace under the Fourth Gate's opening.

"That wasn't him. It was a distraction." A grimace that matched the notable disdain in his voice formed on his face as he watched the revenants begin to reform themselves. "Right now we need to stop these two or they'll go on to destroy the village."

"Easier said than done, Sir," Kakashi said. "They're closer to machines rather than living beings. However, they merely reconstitute themselves and continue to attack when killed. Our best option would likely to be seal them away."

"I can use the sealing scroll I prepared for Orochimaru," he said as the two finished reforming. "Tenzo, I'll need you to make a coffin just big enough to fit both of them. Guy, Kakashi, pin them down for a second."

"Sir!" they all responded at once. Then there was no more room for discussion after that as the two undead Hokage began their attack again. And this time they escalated even further.

The Second Hokage began to exhale a powerful stream of water in front of him that broke the surface of the murky swamp and then began to churn it violently into an expanding, spiraling wall that threatened to sweep them away. Their primary means of escape was cut off as well as a wooden wall emerged around them to form a dome that blotted out the moonlight and encased them in darkness. It was a combination attack meant to grind them into a smear against the wooden cage while the two behind it remained protected within the eye of the hurricane.

With no hesitation, the elites of the Leaf village acted. To meet the combined efforts of two of their village's greatest shinobi, even as shades of themselves raised from the dead, they held nothing back. Might Guy opened up the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Gates while Kakashi's mirror-wheel eye warped into its kaleidoscopic form.

Chakra and sweat bloomed in the form of a magnificent green aura that threatened to overtake them all as it displaced the water that steadily grated at it. Guy took on a stance with his fist chambered back and tensed his muscles, prepared to release it. At the same time, Kakashi swiveled around and then fixated his eye on the wooden dome encasing them. Everything at the center of his view began to distort as he used it as a lens and pushed out all the chakra he could to force Kamui to activate, doing his best to ignore the sensation that was like getting a kunai plunging through his eye and into his skull.

Space warped and was drawn into itself to create a perfectly shaped hole as Kakashi then passed out, blood trailing from his eye. Jiraiya caught hold of him and then rushed out of the hole with Tenzo, leaving Guy behind. The moment they were cleared, Tenzo encased them in another shell of protection as thick as he could and forced it as deep as he could into the ground so they were out of the blast-zone as Guy unleashed a single punch as fast as he could.

And the Daytime Tiger burst the wooden cage it was confined within apart.

The pressure expanded to where it caught the entirety of the swamp and leveled it from the sheer force of the blow. Nothing remained but an expansive crater the size of a lake as Might Guy landed, unharmed but sweat glistening from his brow. Every bone in his body was rattling from the shockwave, and the strain of the chakra that threaded every inch of his being tore apart his muscle fibers.

The fight was out of him for the time being, leaving him to watch as the two revenants began to reform right in front of him. That was when two wooden halves emerged from the ground beneath them and snapped shut like the jaws of a shark, sealing them inside. The shell that had been buried within the earth popped out and split open so that Tenzo could thrust his hand into the coffin snare he created, warping his fingers to form wooden bands to wrap around it.

"Now!" he said, straining as he wrestled control over the wood against the First Hokage. "Do it now!"

Jiraiya unfurled the scroll with a sharp motion using his left hand as he bit into his right thumb. He then ran his finger along the scroll to mark it with his blood, before he formed a one-handed gesture and spoke with chakra threading his voice to activate it. "Let the evil be sealed within!"

The words carried his intention as the unfurled scroll wrapped around the coffin like a winding serpent. Sealing script on the paper bled off of it, the ink running over the coffin and impressing upon it a central sealing sigil that was bordered by dozens of lines that ran both vertically and horizontally over the wood. The struggle stopped the moment it was done and the sealing script shone with a purple haze as it drank in his chakra until there was little to give.

"It's done," Jiraiya said, sighing with a shuddering breath as chakra exhaustion was on the verge of setting in. "That's a multi-layered seal, packed with everything that I thought would be useful for dealing with Orochimaru. It's meant to contain a soul, also paralyzing that within it under an intensified gravity field and let no chakra in or out. Nothing gets in, nothing gets out without my doing so."

 _"As expected of you… Lord Jiraiya,"_ Guy said wearily, lacking the usual energy in his voice. _"What… next…?"_

"By now the snake will have gone to ground," he said. "Until he makes his next move or we find another lead, we head back to the village and have the Old Man seal this coffin away somewhere no one can reach it."

 **[-oOo-]**

Back in the Leaf village, unaware of his mentors' struggles, Naruto slowly had Suzaku descend outside of Karin's house. It had gotten later than they expected after they had finished dinner and dancing on the water's surface. But all good things had to come to an end, and keeping Sakura all night to refresh the illusion would have been selfish.

Speaking of Sakura, his clone was in the process of escorting her home. The clone had created another clone to send the memories to him mid-flight and allowed him to recall what the pair had discussed, including the fact that Sasuke was being distant again. While his clone had said to leave it to Kakashi, he should probably look into it on his own since, even if he was a Chuunin now, they were still part of the same team and the fact that she shared that information with him meant that she was really worried.

He'd also have to really thank Ayame for everything. She'd want to know how the date went and he felt like he owed her for the food and the advice. Oh, and because Sakura wanted the recipe for what she had made for dinner.

Once Suzaku landed, Naruto once again helped her down from atop of it. Only this time a giggle tickled his ears instead of a surprised yelp. It matched the bright smile on Karin's face as she looked him in the eyes.

"That was so much fun," she said, folding her hands together behind her back. "I didn't expect something like that. You really put a lot of work into it."

Naruto grinned brightly at that. "Glad you enjoyed it."

"Now I've got to think of something to return the favor." She placed her hands on her chin in thought. "You've set the bar pretty high, so it'll have to be something really special. It'll take me some time to figure out what to do."

"You don't need to. It's just—" His words died as Karin leaned in to kiss him once again.

This time it was on the lips, a feather-soft touch that blossomed in his mind like fireworks. There was no single word to describe it. It was hot as the sun, yet it was sweet as honey, a delightful feeling that robbed him of the ability to think as the kiss lingered for what seemed to be a lifetime. Then she pulled away with a blush on her cheeks that matched the one that painted Naruto's, both a deep shade of red that was the same as her hair.

"I know I don't have to, Naruto," she said afterwards, brushing her hair back awkwardly. "But I want to. Because if I do my best and it makes you happy, then I'll be happy too. That's what I want our relationship to be like, where we're happy because we make one another happy. Don't you?"

Lost for words, Naruto nodded dumbly.

"Anyway, we have a big day tomorrow at the Sealing R & D building." Karin opened her door. "I'll see you there, okay?"

He was still lost for words until Suzaku prodded him with its beak to snap him out of his stupor. "Right, see you then. Have a good night."

"You too, Naruto." She gave him a wave before shutting the door gently.

Naruto stood there for a moment longer to center himself. He vigorously shook his head to clear it of the warm haze that loitered with memories of the kiss as he climbed onto Suzaku's back, to little avail. The cool night air as it flew back towards his home did a much better job of sobering him up as he headed back towards his apartment.


	46. Chapter 46

Another chapter is here!

Enjoy!

Sarutobi read the scroll that was delivered to him courtesy of a Messenger Toad inside of his own home with a weary frown as it reported on Jiraiya's chase and the conclusion. Orochimaru had eluded them again. Not only that, but Jiraiya theorized he used Anko Mitarashi's body in order to bring himself back and was using it as his current vessel.

They couldn't be completely certain on the method of how the Cursed Seal acted as a means of transferring his soul into a vessel. Whether he booted the soul of the victim out or some other means was alien to them. Their only hope of understanding it would be investigating the Cursed Seal on the captive that Anko had sent to the village.

Inoichi's more invasive method of mind-reading, done with the Hokage's consent given her affiliation, crimes against their village, and the urgency of the situation, had rendered her brain-dead. From there, they could keep her body alive while they poked and prodded her seal until they could understand it well enough to find a way to remove it without the risk of death. To find a way to free Sasuke Uchiha and Karin Uzumaki from sharing the same fate in the future.

But, for all intents and purposes, Anko Mitarashi was among the dead now. She would have to be added to the Memorial Stone. Her charge, Karin, would also need to be informed given the circumstances.

A weary sigh left his mouth at the thought. Anko was a bright child and promising kunoichi. More than anything she regretted her affiliation with Orochimaru and proved her loyalty to their village time and time again. Yet this was how it ended for her—used to return the man she hated the most in the world back to the land of the living.

Back to threaten their village in due time because he didn't kill Orochimaru the first time his treachery came to light. His fingers trembled as they curled into fists. If he had killed him back then, the betrayal of Sand and this would not have happened. His former student wouldn't have mutilated his very soul into something so monstrous, denied their village founders their final rest, and the chains shackling Jiraiya to chase after him would never exist.

 _Ba-thump._

 _"Ngh…"_ His fingers fell over his chest, grasping for his heart. Since that day his age had been catching up to him. Even with Tsunade's help, he would not stave off death forever. The question was: would he die before he corrected this travesty, or leave behind an immortal monster to haunt their village until it was naught but ashes?

For now, he would deal with the coffin containing their village founders. He would have it taken to the Sealed Hall, on the outskirts of the village. There it would be stored away along with other forbidden objects and left until they could find some way to return their souls to where they belonged.

 **[-oOo-]**

Naruto was roused the next morning by his alarm clock, its constant ringing reverberating in his skull. He groaned as he sat up in the bed, the sleeping cap's tail brushing against his cheek as he rubbed his eyes. The fog of slumber clouded his mind and left him wondering why he was getting up so early on a weekend as he yawned.

"Did you sleep well?" a feminine voice asked from next to him.

"I guess—" His eyes snapped open as he registered the voice, driving the lethargy from his mind. "Karin!?"

"Good morning," Karin Uzumaki said from her seat at the foot of the bed. "I didn't startle you, did I?"

"A bit…" Fully awake now, he scratched his cheek as he looked her up and down. Karin was wearing a lavender blouse that covered her arms and fell down to her hips. Her pants fell down to her socks and a pair of open-toed sandals. "How long have you been here?"

"An hour or two ago. I didn't want to wake you up by knocking, so I figured that I would just…" Karin shifted her eyes to the door, looking away from him as she admitted the truth. "I picked the lock since it was part of my training and then… watched you for a bit while you slept."

"…That was risky," Naruto said in warning. And, if he had to admit it, the part about her just watching him sleep for a while was a bit creepy. "If an ANBU patrol caught you doing that it could have caused problems."

"I had my Mind's Eye active," she explained. "That's also how I knew you were asleep."

Naruto shook his head. "That's not the point. You shouldn't risk yourself like that just because you didn't want to wake me. It would have been weird to explain it to the Old Man if you were caught somehow."

She looked down at her hands as her fingers curled around the hem of her blouse. "…Yeah, I kind of figured that much after I was already inside. It just seemed like a good idea at the time. I'm not sure why, though. I've been feeling a little off-balance since the end of the date where I… you know."

Naruto felt a weight drop into the pit of his stomach when she pressed two fingers to her lips to get the point across about their kiss the previous night. "Did I do something wrong?"

Karin shook her head. "Originally, I was just going to give you another kiss on the cheek that time. But then I impulsively kissed you on the lips, despite telling myself during the date I didn't want to scare you off. I played it off well, but after I shut the door my heart was pounding and my thoughts were scrambled. I couldn't tell if you enjoyed it or were as confused as me or if I had left a bad impression—and I'm rambling now."

Naruto realized this was probably the most flustered he'd seen Karin. She always carried herself so well under normal circumstances, so he kind of expected her to be more or less the same after the date. But now it was like a switch had been flipped. "If it's gotten you this bothered, we should talk about it."

She hummed lowly as she considered it. "You're sweet, Naruto. But I'd rather not try to explain what I'm feeling to you out of fear that I'd…spook you."

"Um… okay? Well, what about talking to Ayame-nee then?" he asked, recalling the advice she'd given him. "You know her, she knows about us, and we still have time before we need to get to the Sealing R & D building for the mask thing. If we go now I'm sure she can help you sort things out, and I did promise to tell her how it went."

Karin bit her lower lip in thought for a moment. Then she nodded, her red hair swaying with the motion. "Yes, I think that'd be best. I'll be able to concentrate better once I get it off my chest."

"Alright, I'll make a clone to go with you while I go take a shower and get ready for the day," Naruto said, rising to his feet. "It'll dispel once you get there and you'll be able to talk in private until I'm ready to meet up there. Afterwards, I'll see about getting a copy of my key made for you later today."

 **[-oOo-]**

Ayame did expect to hear from Naruto the next day about how his date went. So, when he came with Karin this morning and told her that it went well, she was glad for him and promised to write down the recipe for his other little friend who helped him. However, she didn't expect that Karin would want to talk to her afterwards and for Naruto to be a clone.

But, she was always willing to lend an ear to a friend of Naruto's. So she took the girl back into the shop while her dad manned the front and heard her out… and it proved to be the smart thing to do, considering what she told her about breaking into his room to watch him sleep.

"You know, I was originally planning on doing the big sisterly thing and warning you against breaking Naruto's heart," Ayame said, after listening to her explain herself. "But now I'm a bit more worried about you moving too fast with him."

"Me too, actually," Karin said, placing her hand over her heart. "Normally, I act a lot more rational and wanted to take things slow with Naruto. But since last night something has changed. I've been feeling like…"

"It's all boiling inside of you?" Ayame guessed, to which Karin nodded. "What you're feeling is pretty natural. Love is a really powerful thing, especially for people who haven't had much experience with it."

"That's why I wanted to take things slow," she said. "But my impulse control slipped twice in less than 12 hours, first with that kiss and then entering into his home like that. They both seemed like a good idea at the time, even though I should have known they weren't and realized that after the fact."

"Well, that's probably because there's no more uncertainty since the date. Think of the situation like…" She looked around for something to explain it better and settled on a pot. "Like a pot of water simmering in a low flame. Before, Naruto hadn't given any sign he was willing to commit, so you kept the flames level. With me so far?"

Karin nodded. "And I'm guessing that date essentially turned up the flames and set the pot to boiling?"

"That's right," Ayame said. "Now imagine a bunch of noodles being thrown into the mix as well. Noodles make a pot of water boil over the edges really easily because there's a lot of things inside of it that come out under the heat. If you relate the pot to your self-control, the water to your emotions, the noodles towards love, and the excess that comes out under the heat being hormones, then when it boils over would be when your impulse control slips because your emotions have gotten too high to control—which explains the kiss on the lips and bedroom invasion."

She frowned a bit as a light blush painted her face. "Do you have to frame that last part that way?"

Ayame shot her a stern glance. "Naruto's becoming more mature, but he's still innocent at heart. He probably didn't consider the implications of you slipping into his home and watching him sleep, but I think we both know that you at least entertained the thought of kissing him again while he wasn't awake, didn't you?"

She didn't deny it outright. "… I didn't go through with it."

 _"This time,"_ Ayame stressed. "Next time it could be worse, especially once puberty really kicks in. You're mature for your age and can reason out why it's a bad idea, but the raw emotion is still there and it can consume you. Then, once it settles, you'll just have regrets. Trust me when I say a lot of people my age have done things like that because they didn't have someone to explain it to them like I am now."

"Does that include you?" Karin asked.

"Mmm… almost," she admitted. "There was a guy who I found attractive and thought he was pretty cool. Not shinobi-cool, but by civilian standards. Dad didn't like him though, so we kept things a bit of a secret. It added a hint of spice to things that way."

"So what happened then?"

"Naruto came in one day after looking like he had been crying because of something at the Academy back when he was younger," she explained. "Since he's a little brother to me in all but name, he was my priority and I spent the evening lifting his spirits rather than leaving work early to go off with the guy. I could understand him being upset at that because I made a commitment and didn't see it through, but then he called Naruto a brat and that pretty much cut the flames off right then and there."

"Jerk," Karin said to that.

"Yeah, he was." Ayame sighed. "Anyway, back with the analogy of boiling noodles. You stop them from overflowing by adding a little oil to it. That's what you need to do the equivalent of, keeping it boiling without spilling over. I'll give you some advice on that front."

"Thanks," Karin said, before licking her lips nervously and adding, "Can we… not tell Naruto about this?"

"Your secret's safe with me," Ayame assured her. "Now, about that advice…"

 **[-oOo-]**

"It should be done charging in a few seconds!" exclaimed the enthusiastic sealing researcher said from behind the glass.

After her talk with Ayame, Naruto had arrived and went with Karin to the Sealing R&D building. There they found Narue waiting, despite it being relatively early in the morning. Considering the rings under her eyes, Karin found herself wondering if the woman even slept last night or spent the entire time making sure everything was ready for them.

 _Well, at least Byakko's mask has been remade,_ Karin thought to herself. They had finished reconstructing it, with Naruto currently testing its capabilities while she would be here to start the interview with the Divine Priestess first. Naruto would be handling the Divine Priests that were considered less of a hazard than the Reaper afterwards—they would save that one for last.

"And we're all set!" Narue said through the speakers. "Go ahead, Karin-chan!"

"Okay." Turning the priestess' mask over, Karin peeled off the chakra-storing slip that contained Naruto's Yang Chakra. Then she used a scalpel they provided to make an incision into her thumb, providing the blood to activate it.

From the mask emerged a feminine figure of flowing, white robes. A translucent ribbon woven from the air itself curved around its arms and back, swaying softly to a non-existent breeze. Landing before her daintily in the second focal circle, the Divine Priestess took form for the first time since the day that they found them.

 _'You summoned me, child of the eddies?'_ it spoke in a soft voice that tickled her mind through their spiritual link. _'How may I be of aid to you?'_

"It works," Narue said. "We heard that on this side. You can start the discussion."

Taking a deep breath, Karin began. "Tennyo, I've summoned you in the hopes that you could tell me more about yourself and the others—your capabilities, your origins, and the purpose of the Divine Gods. Why can't we summon them like we do you?"

 _'The Divine Gods cannot be summoned through the means by which I stand before you,'_ Tennyo stated. _'I and the Divine Priests are messengers who act on their behalf and possess a fragment of their powers to aid those of the clan that dwelled by the eddies. Should one need to call upon the Divine Gods, they must be prepared to sacrifice instead.'_

"What do you mean?" Karin asked.

 _'Those who seek the power of the Divine Gods must offer their body as a vessel and chakra as the means to bridge the gap between Heaven and Earth. The one who bears the mask upon their flesh becomes an avatar for them to descend and inhabit their bodies, allowing them to utilize power beyond their kin. But it is not without consequences, and should you attempt to do so as you are now, you will perish.'_

 _Not eager to test that then,_ Karin decided before moving on. "You mentioned you and the Divine Priest have a fragment of their powers. What does that mean?"

 _'I shall show you.'_ Bowing its head slightly, the Divine Priestess' ribbon seemed to stretch out towards Karin. The moment it touched her forehead, her world melted as a memory that wasn't her own overtook her.

She found herself standing in front of a beautiful red-haired woman who Karin recognized from one of the books she read. The woman dressed regally was standing there, cradling a mask with her hands tenderly as chakra flowed from her into it. Another vision quickly filtered in as that one faded.

Karin found herself in the presence of that same woman decades later. Her red-hair had faded to a grey and wrinkles lined her features, yet there was still an air of grace about her. Just as delicately as before, she cradled a mask in her grasp. Only this time she wasn't alone and handed it to another red-haired girl that Karin also recognized, instructing her to do the same.

"Karin-chan, what's happening?" Narue's voice rang out abruptly. "You've gone silent. Say something if you're okay."

"I… I'm looking at a memory," Karin said, her eyes still those of Tennyo's as the ribbons flowed around her arms like water and touched the two Uzumaki women. "It seems like the priestess can use her ribbons to transfer memories that she observes or between people. Right now, I'm looking at one of Tennyo's memories of the ones responsible for maintaining the shrine and the masks within them before we stumbled across them."

"We're not getting visual here," Narue said. "Can you describe them and we can do research into them later on?"

"I recognize them both," Karin said as the memory came to an end and the ribbons retracted from touching her head. "The first was Mito Uzumaki. She must've been the one who took care of them initially. But as she aged, she needed another person to do so, and she chose another Uzumaki to do so… Kushina Uzumaki."

Naruto's mother would have been the one to take care of them after the passing of Mito. Taking into account they were probably neglected during the various wars since it was established, combined with the near-extinction of their clan at some point during the last one, Naruto's mother probably only visited to charge them while leaving the temple in a state of disarray.

And if she was the host of the Nine-Tailed Fox before Naruto, and it had the same effect on her chakra that it did on his without purifying it, she wouldn't have been able to use them. A Jinchuuriki probably had more worth to the village than the masks at that point since their clan was scattered. So, with her death upon Naruto's birth, it was likely that no one else would have known about it.

Taking a deep breath, Karin addressed the Divine Priestess again. "So, that's your ability then? To share memories or take them while they're bound?"

 _'To be precise, it is the ability to connect minds,'_ Tennyo explained as more ribbons came into existence from the air itself. _'Wherever the winds blow, my ribbons can touch and thus all are connected. The Divine God I act on behalf of has the ability to perceive and manipulate the threads of fate upon which all is bound on a conceptual level. Connecting minds between others to allow them to commune with one another. Connecting hearts between others to bind them in love. Should it be needed, even connecting to the forces of the natural world is possible—such as if one connected the sky and the land, the winds would churn into a twister and sweep the land into the sky.'_

Bringing about whatever change you desired through manipulating the metaphysical or conceptual bonds. It sounded absurd to Karin on some level. But she supposed that if you were technically calling down a god to inhabit your body then it would possible, theoretically.

More worryingly, if that was what only one was capable of… what were the others capable of?


	47. Chapter 47

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Naruto was up next after Karin had finished with the Priestess' mask. To say that it was a shock that his mother had been involved with the keeping of the masks was an understatement. But he was grateful all the same since it meant that he could get to know her a little better through the shared memories within the mask, along with what Kakashi told him and what he could ask Jiraiya when he got back from wherever he was.

Once summoned, the pair of monks explained their ability to create a barrier had more depth than Naruto expected. When they were alone, they could only affect a small area or individual targets. But when they were together they could increase the radius and then dictate how that barrier interfered with the world outside of it—creating a territory where they dictated what entered and left.

That was their fragment of power inherit from their Divine God—the manipulation of space, the distance between things. Supposedly, while donning it, Naruto could dictate the laws of space within the domain under his influence. He could make right be left, up be down, or stretch the distance of something that was three steps away into three thousand.

That left the Reaper, who he was now sitting opposite of for the first time since that fateful day in the woods. It floated in the air motionless, scythe held down as its clawed fingers were laxed. The mask it wore, which resembled a skull with three eyes, peered down at him in an unsettling manner as its mental voice began to reverberate.

 _"State thy wish, bearer of Uzumaki blood,"_ it asked.

"I want to know what you and the Divine God mask that you serve as the messenger of are capable of."

 _"I am the Reaper of that which is born of the melding of the physical and spiritual, that which is known as Chakra."_ Its mask tilted downwards slightly and it raised its scythe to a horizontal pose. _"That which harbors it can be stripped of it and given to another. It is a modicum of the capabilities possessed by the one I serve—the God of Death whose domain is that of Souls and balances Life and Death on its blade."_

Naruto felt a lump forming in his throat at that. The domain of souls, life and death. Did that mean he could use it to bring back his parents and meet them for the first time?

Swallowing the lump that rose in his throat, he asked the question. "So that means, if I were to put on the other mask, I would be able to bring back the dead?"

 _"Do not entertain such folly,"_ it warned, its grip tightening on its scythe. Hostility similar to when they first met bled off it in waves.

Naruto raised his arms up to pacify it. "You haven't explained everything yet, so I was making a guess. Am I wrong?"

Its grip on the scythe loosened slightly. _"Life and Death are intertwined. To interfere with the Pure Lands, to deny the dead their rest and meddle with such a thing that distorts the natural order, is a sin most grave that the God of Death does not take likely. To harbor such intentions, to intend to use it for such a method while wearing the mask, would spell the end of you."_

"Okay, so if you attempt to use it to bring someone back from the dead it'll make the god in the mask mad."

 _"Which is why those that seek to house the God of Death within them must transcend the that desire,"_ it stated. _"They must accept that all who live will die, and the God of Death does not play favorites. It comes for all in the end. Only then may they bear the mask to become Death itself. You may perceive the souls of others through whatever protection they have in place, determine the time someone has left, project your own soul from your body and commune with the dead in Purgatory, help a restless soul find peace or seal it away, and so much more."_

 _Basically, it lets you do things with the soul except for resurrect the dead,_ Naruto pondered with his lips pursed and his hand on his chin. The other masks dealt with things in the physical plane, but this one dealt more with spiritual affairs and was easily the most difficult to use compared to the rest of them.

Anyone who wanted to use it would no doubt do so in order to bring back someone they lost. If you had to overcome that desire when the ability to do so was there, then wouldn't it be nearly impossible? Was it really meant to be used at all then?

"Naruto-kun," Narue said through the speakers, stirring him from his thoughts. "The chakra readings are getting low from the last seal. If there are any more questions you want to ask, then do so now."

"Right." Giving it a bit more thought, he found there was a single question left he wanted to ask. "Is it possible to use the mask to find someone who's missing?"

 _"So long as they live and you know their name,"_ it said. _"The name ties into the soul and is thus engraved into it."_

"Okay, thanks." Naruto gave it a slight bow of the head. "You can rest now."

The Reaper went docile at the command, returning into the mask. The mask fell from where it floated and would have clattered onto the focal circle had Naruto's hands not shot out and grabbed it. He rose from his seated position and exited the observation room, where Narue and Karin were waiting for him.

"Nice work both of you," Narue said as he handed over the Reaper's mask. "We've got it all recorded. Now all I have to do is submit it to the Hokage and we can see where to go from there next."

"Do you really think there are gods within the other masks?" he asked. If there was anyone else there qualified to tell them, it would be the person overseeing the research.

"Who knows?" she said cheerfully. "Given that seals can be used to actually seal things within objects, it's not unfeasible that there are actual spirits or gods within the masks. It's not the like there isn't precedence."

He suspected that she was referring to what was sealed inside of him.

"All the same, they could just be artificial constructs created through the crafting of the different layers of seals." She paused to tap her chin in thought and smiled. "Actually, that would be more impressive. Could you imagine what it would be like to create something artificial yet on par with actual gods that could breach the borders of life and death?"

For some reason, Karin looked uncomfortable as she took a step back from the woman and changed the topic. "Either way, I don't think it's safe to use those sets of masks right now."

"True, but you can't fault me at the thought of communing with the ancient sealing experts who made them in the first place. So many mysteries could be solved that way…" She sighed wistfully. "Anyway, I'll compile all of this and then get to them to the Hokage. We'll probably be in touch later on to see if we can glean more from them."

That said, she gave Naruto the extra slips he wanted and then escorted them up and out of the building. The sun glared down on them from above as they stepped into the light, having been down there for a while now. It was maybe around midday if he had to guess as they walked together down the roads that were busier than before.

Naruto was still lost in thought over what he'd learned when he felt a slight tug on his sleeve. Pulled from his thoughts, he turned to look at Karin. "What's up?"

"When you asked the Reaper about using the mask to find someone…" She hesitated for a pause to bring herself to say it. "That wasn't for Anko-san, was it?"

"Yeah," he admitted. "It doesn't sit right with me that she had to stay behind for us to get away. And I remember what you said about how you felt that it was your fault, so I figured if we can use it then we could find her and bring her back."

"…Thank you, Naruto." She brushed back her hair and smiled softly before changing the topic. "So, what will you do now?"

"I've got to go talk to Sasuke," he said, intending to keep his word to Sakura.

"Do you want me to come with you?" she asked.

"Nah. He'll be grouchy enough as is because he's stuck in the village. I shouldn't bring someone else." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his key. "Go ahead and get a copy of this made for yourself."

She took the key from his hand delicately before leaning in close and giving him quick kiss on the cheek. The pleasant touch of her lips spread through that side of his face and left him blushing as she pulled away. "I'll pick up some groceries for dinner and see you tonight at your place."

 _"S-Sure,"_ he muttered as she waved and then turned to leave down the streets. It took him a few seconds to snap out of it before he sighed to himself and went towards the Uchiha district.

 **[-oOo-]**

 **Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!**

A trio of kunai nailed the center of the targets as Sasuke continued through his drills, training not only to be stronger but to quiet his mind. He was growing restless now that he had a way out of the village, ready to leave with a simple series of seals and be whisked away. But, at the same time, he was hesitating.

There were still things he could learn from Kakashi. But if they were working on a way to remove the Cursed Seal then he would lose that power as well. Was it worth the risk of staying just a little longer? Or should he disappear before anyone knew where he had gone?

He'd be leaving behind everything within the village that belonged to his clan in doing so—no, he'd be leaving behind the village itself that was established by the Uchiha. They were one of the founding clans after all. But the village itself would stand in the way of his obligations to his family, so it was a necessity in the end.

 _It's all Itachi's fault that its necessary,_ he thought to himself as he yanked the kunai out of the tree. Then he felt another presence closing in on him and twisted around, flinging it in that direction. "Come out!"

"Whoa!" Naruto emerged unharmed. Upset, but unharmed as he held the kunai between his fingers. "That was close. Do you just throw these things around when someone surprises you?"

 _"Yes."_ He caught it as Naruto sent it back his way and then crossed his arms. "Besides, don't you heal fast anyway because of that thing inside of you? As long as I didn't hit your head, you'd be fine."

Naruto looked shocked at that fact. "You know?"

"I'm not an idiot, I can see chakra, your birthday is the same date as the attack on the village by the Nine-Tailed Fox, and it wasn't that long since we dealt with Gaara," Sasuke pointed out. Granted, he'd only pieced most of that together last night, but Naruto didn't need to know that. "It makes sense that they'd have you talk to him since you'd be able to relate to him."

His former teammate seemed pensive at that, or almost apologetic. "So is that part of why you've been upset lately? That I didn't tell you?"

Sasuke scoffed. "I don't care about that. We've all got our reasons for what we do. My question is why are you here now?"

"Well, part of it's because I wanted to apologize because of what happened on my mission being the reason why you're stuck here in the village."

 _The mission Orochimaru was talking about,_ he reasoned. The Snake Sannin had been vague and no one else would give him details, but if anyone was willing to talk it'd be Naruto. "If you're going to apologize, then explain properly."

Naruto saw fit to do so and gave him the highlights. He'd been attacked by Mizuki and then went after his clanmate. From how he was describing the battle that came afterwards, the bone-user had definitely gone into a second-stage release with his Cursed Seal.

Sasuke's mind raced as he listened while leaning against the tree, putting pieces to the puzzle with what he learned from Orochimaru. The man hadn't even been all that subtle in his wording about being a hypocrite if he faulted him for taking whatever power he could regardless of the means. Most likely his means of resurrecting himself was tied into the Cursed Seal and their hosts, which was why he'd chosen to appear now.

Yet, at the same time, that same seal on the bone-user was enough to push Naruto further than Gaara did. He needed all the power he could get if he was going to kill Itachi. He couldn't let that fear of losing his body control him, could he?

"Anyway, that's how we ended up like this," Naruto finished. "So I think we're stuck in the village until they find where that creep Kabuto is and get rid of the Cursed Seals from you and Karin."

"And you're okay with the fact that they sealed your second source of chakra away?" Sasuke asked. "That power was the only reason you were able to last against Gaara and the bone-user from the sound of it. Them sealing it away is the same as denying you a powerful tool you could use to get stronger faster."

"I couldn't control it and hurt Karin," Naruto pointed out. "I'd rather work on my other techniques and focus on getting stronger with Sakura and the others than rely on the fox if I can."

Sasuke shook his head. "That line of thinking will get you killed. You shouldn't be picky with the means you choose to get stronger with. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't be. I'd master it."

Naruto took offense to that, his cerulean eyes narrowing and his voice growing heated. "You can say that because you don't know what it's like. Imagine being swallowed in hatred that wasn't your own, unable to think clearly and filled with the urge to kill everyone around you. The last two times I relied on the fox's chakra to that extent, I nearly killed Sakura and Karin. Would being stronger at the price of your friends and family be worth it?"

The last of the Uchiha opened his mouth to say that he would, but his lungs froze before the words could come out once his mind caught up to the hypocrisy. That would be no different than what his brother did in the end. Itachi killed his entire clan for the sake of gaining the next level of his Sharingan and intended on returning to claim Sasuke's once it was matured.

At the same time, Sasuke told himself moments ago that he would be willing to get his hands on whatever power he could, even if it meant leaving the village behind. If he truly believed that thought, Itachi had already spelled out a way for him to get stronger with his birthright. And it was right in front of him.

… The temptation pounded at his neck where the Cursed Seal was locked away, threatening to break free. They were alone. He had a way out of the village without being caught. Naruto couldn't heal himself quickly anymore and didn't have access to the Nine-Tailed Fox. If Itachi's goal was to capture the Jinchuuriki, putting Naruto down would be a hindrance to his plans as well.

He could sever those bonds that Itachi intended to in a few years prematurely and gain the next level of his Sharingan to use against his brother here and now. Naruto was so unguarded he probably wouldn't need the Cursed Seal to kill him. He could simply put Naruto asleep with the Eye of Hypnotism and make it fast and painless….

And the thought of it sickened him.

Naruto was annoying. Frustratingly so. But killing him now, like this… it felt wrong.

As much as Sasuke hated his brother and wanted power to surpass him, slitting Naruto's throat when he couldn't fight back like that would be no different than what Itachi did to his mother and father. And if he became the very person he hated the most in the world, there would be no meaning in living past killing his brother. Not when he'd have done the same thing he was condemning him for.

Not to mention that, if he killed Naruto here, he would be hunted down by others who would ask him the same question that he asked his brother that day he killed their family. Maybe it'd be Kakashi, or Sakura, or even that clanswoman of his. But they'd all ask why he'd done it, and he'd give the same answer as his brother.

Ignorant of what was going through his teammate's head, Naruto seemed to take Sasuke's silence as him being right and then continued on. "Anyway, Sakura's been worried about how you've been going back to how you used to be. That's the other reason why I'm here."

"And what was wrong with how I used to be?" Sasuke asked with a slight snarl in his voice.

Naruto held his hands up. "I'm just pointing out that you were kind of a jerk."

"And you were a buffoon who earned the title of dead last in our class," Sasuke said bluntly.

"Yeah, but now I'm a Chuunin."

"Only because you went first and my match was interrupted," Sasuke countered as he placed his empty hand on where the seal was and willed it to calm down, forcing the temptation down.

"Maybe," Naruto conceded. "But the point is that we've all changed for the better, so don't go back to how you were back then. We've gone through so much as Team 7, and we're stronger as a team like during the Finals. Don't throw that away by isolating yourself."

"...Let me ask you this, Naruto," Sasuke said to him. "What will happen when you face an opponent you need power to beat and don't have it because you denied yourself access to that power because you were afraid? Would you be fine with the results even if it cost the lives of those you were protecting or those of us fighting alongside you as a team?"

"That—"

"Think hard," Sasuke warned him before he said something stupid. "Because someday you'll have to make that decision for yourself. Will you remain weak and rely on others and risk getting them killed? Or will you do whatever you can to become powerful enough stand on your own, even if that method meant making everyone hate you, including yourself?"

Naruto shook his head after a moment and his eyes filled with resolve. "I'd focus on making it so that there was no need to fight. But it if it came down to it, I'd focus on making sure that everyone was strong enough to survive—not just myself."

" _Tch…_ only you'd think of something that naïve." He turned and then started to walk away. "I'll think about what you said with Sakura, but I'd advise you to try mastering control over that demon within you. Otherwise you'll die without accomplishing anything because you were a coward."

He ignored Naruto calling for him afterward and headed back home to be alone with his thoughts. His obligation to the fallen members of his clan was not only to avenge them, but to rebuild his clan as a whole. It couldn't be rebuilt on the same foundation that Itachi had used to gain the next level of his Sharingan.

Besides, now he knew Orochimaru's plan. As long as the Snake Sannin remained ignorant of that, Sasuke could make his own plans in turn. By the time he had nothing left to teach him, Sasuke was sure he'd have a way of dealing with both him and Itachi…


	48. Chapter 48

Another chapter is here!

Enjoy!

The Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat with his pipe tucked into the corner of his mouth as he listened to a copy of the audio recording of the various masks capabilities. His mind raced at the implications and revelations, from Kushina and Mito's involvement to the presence of the Death God. That one in particular caught his interest.

"If what the Reaper spoke was accurate, this could be the key to stopping Orochimaru once and for all," he said as the recording ended and swiveled his chair around to the front, shifting his view from the window to the living room of his home where his students were. Jiraiya was leaning against the wall opposite of Tsunade, who was seated on his couch. "What are your thoughts, Tsunade? Jiraiya?"

"You think it's real?" Tsunade asked, skepticism thick in her voice. She had the blood of Uzumaki within her too, and her grandmother was the caretaker of the masks before, so she had a right to know these things as well. Not to mention they could be the key to allowing the First and Second to return to their eternal rest. "For all we know, those masks could have just been exaggerating."

"It's not something we can know without testing, but it wouldn't hurt to have some faith, Princess," Jiraiya said in response. "It's at least a better solution than nothing if it pans out."

Sarutobi exhaled a thin string of smoke as he watched her brows fold into a glare. Her anger was palpable, but both of them knew for a fact that it wasn't directed at them. She had been seething under the surface since Jiraiya brought her the news of the First and Second personally.

Tsunade loved her grandfather and granduncle. To have them brought back as mindless killing machines was something that she'd taken hard. More so considering her enforced sobriety. So, while she wanted Orochimaru dead and them put to rest, she wanted an _absolute_ solution rather than relying on faith, and that meant proof.

Fortunately, Sarutobi believed that he had some form of proof. "One of the techniques that Minato perfected and came to me with was a means by which you could summon the God of Death and imprison one's soul within its belly. I didn't know how he came up with the concept of the technique. In fact, I was wary of it given how Orochimaru had dabbled in immortality, and I labeled it a forbidden technique. However, had Jiraiya not arrived in the village when he did, I had intended to use it as my final card to deal with Orochimaru should the need arise."

Being sealed within the Death God's stomach with Orochimaru would serve as penitence for not ending his life before he warped his soul to such an extent and threatened the village. It wouldn't be the best solution now, given what they knew, but it would still have bought them more time. Still, if Kushina knew of the masks and what they were capable of, then it was very likely that the technique was one of the Uzumaki clan—a method of harnessing the mask's power for a single technique.

Tsunade took his words at value at least, which was what he set out to do by revealing that information. "Okay, assuming it _might_ work, we don't know the amount of chakra needed for them to function. If those kids put them on and don't meet the requirements, they won't get a second chance and there goes the last people capable of using them."

"It seems Tsuda-san came up with her own theory on creating a means by which it could be feasible," Sarutobi said, holding up the woman's written report and request. He passed it over to Jiraiya. "See for yourself."

"It sounds like she's making assumptions based on the layers requiring a set amount of chakra to activate, multiplied by the number of layers," Jiraiya said as he skimmed it. "It's sound in theory, if she can precisely predict a base number to know the amount needed. And she also proposed a seal that would be fixed onto the body, storing Yang chakra similar to the prototype slips she gave to Naruto over a longer period of time. It would require human-testing before it would be allowed though, and she needs express permission from the acting Hokage."

Sarutobi took a drag from his pipe and exhaled. "I told her that I would consider it once I found a reference that would be liable not to cause anyone lasting harm."

"Well, off the top of my head, the only things that I can think of that would be viable are the Cursed Seal, the seal on Naruto's stomach, and the seal on Princess' head," Jiraiya said. "The first is out because we still don't know all the mechanics of how Orochimaru worked with it, otherwise we'd be removing them from the kids now. Though we could bring her in on that one and maybe she could use what she learned in that regard. And while Naruto's is holding the fox, which is composed of Yang chakra from what we can tell, it's chakra is corrupted enough to where the trace amounts in his chakra network makes the masks reject it unless he purifies it. Not to mention whatever mental hang-ups he'd have after his last mission."

"Didn't your Sage training teach how to deal with such things?" Sarutobi inquired. "Quieting the mind and such?"

"Certain parts of it, yeah. But it takes time to learn," Jiraiya pointed out. "And as for the Princess here, she's been sketchy on the details of how hers work in particular. But, given that it requires chakra control well-beyond what the average shinobi is capable of at the moment, I'm not inclined to think Naruto would be capable. Karin-chan might be able to though."

Sarutobi had planned on placing her into Shizune's course as a student, if only because it would be a waste not to with her being stuck in the village for the time being. He looked over to Tsunade. "Your thoughts?"

Tsunade shook her head. "I designed my seal specifically for someone who doesn't have an ability like hers. There's no telling how the two would interact with one another without testing, and even then there's still a number of other risks. In a worst-case scenario that doesn't kill her, she may lose her inherent ability and that would be a waste from a purely medical standpoint since you'd be taking away the ability to save the living for the dead."

"That just leaves you then," Jiraiya said. "You're descended from their clan by your grandmother's side and the Senju are also distant relatives of the Uzumaki. Your claim would be pretty strong."

She glared at him again. "Jiraiya, you heard that last part. I am the last person in this world who wouldn't be tempted to raise someone from the grave if the opportunity for a perfect resurrection was in front of me. Even if the only cost would be my own life."

"Don't say that." Jiraiya's demeanor changed, and his voice grew harsher. "Neither Dan nor Nawaki would want to hear that."

Her glare turned _venomous_ at the mention of those two, and Sarutobi suspected it was only by the thinnest margin that she didn't leap up to try and bash in his skull.

 _"The point,"_ she said through clenched teeth, "I'm making is that your brat is the most-suited for it and there's no telling how many years it'll be before he's capable of doing that—if ever. Rather than staking their lives on relics of a clan that's all but gone, you need to find another way."

Sarutobi didn't think she was exactly wrong. It wasn't fair to place so much on the shoulders of those two, but it was still a chance to deal with Orochimaru once and for all. "Regardless, there's still another matter to discuss. Jiraiya… you can't keep delaying it."

Jiraiya sucked in a sharp breath, his chest expanding and tension threading his body. "I can't take the hat yet. Orochimaru is still out there."

"I am not long for this world, Jiraiya," Sarutobi told him. "I would rather spend my remaining time with my son and grandson, knowing that I have left a suitable candidate in the position."

"I know, Sensei." The Toad Sage sighed. "I thought that I had closure when Orochimaru was dead, and that I was ready. But he's still out there, more dangerous than ever. If I take the hat, I won't be able to leave the village to chase him down or train Naruto to deal with Akatsuki."

"There are many who would welcome you to the position right now. But the longer you take, the more people will doubt that you have the determination and desire to watch over and protect them," Sarutobi warned him. "I suspect even now there are others who oppose my desire and will move against you in the shadows…"

 **[-oOo-]**

Danzo Shimura was patient as he sat within one of his underground bases located within the Leaf, a hand on his cane and back straight while flanked by two of his Root-trained Anbu. He was awaiting the arrival of the men he'd sent out in response to a message that he received earlier in the morning from one of his contacts. It was a message requesting a meeting with Orochimaru, who had revived himself and sought an alliance to kill Hiruzen and Jiraiya.

In the grand scheme of things, Orochimaru had been the greatest failure to ever come out of Root. Those trained within Root were supposed to be loyal to him, who was in turn loyal to the village that he had served since shortly after its founding. With his brilliance, much good could have been done in service to their village. Alas, now he haunted them.

 _I should have had him killed the moment Hiruzen cited that he had become too power-hungry_ , he thought to himself as he recalled the meeting to determine the Fourth Hokage at the time. If he'd looked closer, Danzo would have seen the signs earlier that Orochimaru couldn't be trusted. But he always felt he could use the madman a little more, giving him just a little more space to act on his own accord.

Never again would he make that mistake. Especially after he had the audacity to resurrect the Second Hokage—whom Danzo and Hiruzen had served under—as a weapon against the village he died to protect. That was unforgivable, spitting in the face of self-sacrifice that encompassed what a shinobi should be.

Naturally, the contact had to be terminated after they obtained the proposed meeting place and arranged it. They couldn't risk having such a vulnerable spot in their network. But at the very least, if his men succeeded where the others failed, then that was good enough to warrant the sacrifice.

The doors to the chamber opened with the arrival of Fu and Torune, two of his most-valued agents. They took their place before him and kneeled. Using his Sharingan, he inspected them subtly for any influences of foreign chakra or signs of mind control. It never hurt to be cautious after all.

Aside from the injuries beneath their bandages that they kept hidden away, there were no traces. "Report."

"The meeting was also an ambush, it seems," Fu said. "They used some kind of technique to masquerade others under the appearance of Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi even with our measures. And when we set out to eliminate them, they exploded into thousands of serpents and we were beset by some of his troops bearing Cursed Seals or humanoid animal forms. We managed to eliminate them, but a number of ours died in the process and most of us were bitten and treated for poisoning."

Though his face remained an impassive, stony mask, he couldn't help but have his fingers tighten around his cane at the fact that both of the traitors to Root had eluded death once more. However, his men were not to blame. They had performed their tasks as expected, to the best of their abilities, and he couldn't afford needless deaths at the moment.

"Ensure that all of their injuries are properly seen to, as well as your own," he said as he rose from his seat, towering over the kneeling shinobi. "I want them ready to move the moment we find another trace of either of the traitors. They cannot be allowed to threaten the village further."

"Yes, sir," they replied in unison as he turned to leave. There was nothing further to discuss.

As Danzo made his way to the exit of the base, his thoughts drifted to that meeting to determine the Fourth Hokage again and the position itself. Hiruzen wouldn't live much longer. Danzo could see it every time they met, how he struggled to keep himself sitting straight to maintain the image of vigil. If not for Tsunade, masquerading as that new aide of his under a Transformation that he could easily peer through with his implanted Sharingan, he suspected that his elderly teammate would have already been on death's door.

Though the death of his childhood friend would be unpleasant, Hiruzen was fortunate as it was to have lived as long as he had when no Hokage before him had such luxury. But his long life and this fragile peace had dulled his understanding of what it meant to be a shinobi and made him soft. It was a mercy that he would die in his bed while clinging to his naïve ideals, rather than seeing them crushed as the village burned.

The issue was his successor. To become the new Hokage, one needed to be elected with the consent of the Fire Daimyo, fostering goodwill between them to prevent a situation like what happened to the previous Wind Daimyo. However, many people had their disagreements with his methods that were known, so Danzo was unlikely to attain the position using that method. Even if he used Kotoamasukami to sway them, if they suspected that mind control was involved, then there were a number of ways to check for the influence of it within the village.

The only way it would properly work was if it was made clear that Hiruzen's softness was weakening the village. The failed Invasion would have been a potential avenue for that. However, with Jiraiya's public actions during that Invasion attempt, he was the most likely candidate.

Leaving aside his more deplorable habits, Jiraiya was a somewhat capable shinobi if Danzo had to admit. Far more than someone who ran away from their duty like Tsunade, though her medical skills were still valued. He managed an independent spy network that was exceedingly difficult to pin down or infiltrate, had secured an alliance with the Toads to the Hidden Leaf village, and had numerous war accomplishments to his name.

Most importantly, he had been active in his attempts to kill Orochimaru and was one of the few that Danzo suspected would eventually prevail. That was part of the reason he preferred the man to keep doing that, as it would solve both of his problems. However, Hiruzen's misguided teachings have poisoned his mind, and many of the same issues born of the master's idealism would resurface during the student's tenure.

Not to mention, Hiruzen had at least acknowledged the need for Danzo's skills until the Uchiha had to be purged. He'd even spared him after the admittedly hasty assassination attempt on his life a decade or so back, perhaps due to their shared history. However, Danzo suspected he would receive no such courtesy from the Toad Sage and the man would not heed his advice, very likely leading the village to ruin.

Fortunately, Jiraiya was hesitant to take the position until Orochimaru was dealt with. Despite there being other candidates, Hiruzen would stubbornly hold onto the position of Hokage until his choice consented or died. So Danzo had more time to plan out how to ensure their village retained its strength and became great again.

But first he had to find where Orochimaru had slithered off to. And he would. Even if he had to comb every inch of the continent.

 **[-oOo-]**

Orochimaru laid down flat on a surgery table, an IV drip attached to his arm to keep his body hydrated in preparation for the Body Modification surgery. It would be some time before he could transition into Sasuke's body, and ensuring that his current one didn't die before then took priority now that news of his survival had reached both of the old fools in the Leaf. The island laboratory he was in now was secure at least, since it was only known to him and his most promising protégé, Kabuto.

"I really do wish you would stop struggling, Anko-chan," he said to himself as her chakra continued to resist being overtaken within him. Part of what made it possible to exchange bodies with a host involved compatibility, and the Cursed Seal's function as a secondary chakra source also carried traces of his own that would make it easier to overwrite should he need to use the body. That allowed him to easily supplant the soul and make his own dominate.

However, while Anko's body was compatible, she hadn't used her Cursed Seal since he'd given it to her and thus it was taking time to overwrite hers entirely. Made worse was the fact that he was attempting to do so using the little chakra of his own he'd reabsorbed from the other Cursed Seal holders in his other base, stripping the prisoners of them to become a little more whole. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that his current state was akin to a snake that had devoured particularly large prey, leaving him to rest as he digested it.

The door to the room opened as Kabuto approached. He had a tray of medical tools at his disposal in preparation for the modifications.

"The plan went as expected on both ends, Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto reported. "Both of the Hokage are within the Sealed Hall and Danzo's men have been infected. Once the cells finish propagating and overwriting their own, they'll be ready for use and we can proceed to Phase 2."

"Excellent," Orochimaru said to that. "And what of our most prominent sleeper in the village?"

He'd have to remember to thank Sasori for that technique. Granted, he'd modified the current version more to his liking, only breaking the seal temporarily when a signal was sent out by one of Kabuto's relay serpents. But it served well for the purposes of having their remaining spies within the village stay undetected. And what better spy was one that didn't know they were a spy at all until needed?

"They remain undetected," he reported. "The relay serpent will have their next report soon, though I am still working on attaining the information they requested. The necessary samples are proving difficult to sort through and use Impure World Resurrection on, given how they were buried and the rate of decomposition. But I suspect everything will be ready before long."

A slight hum left Orochimaru's mouth in satisfaction at the development. Soon all the pieces would be in place, and this time he would make sure that the Leaf village was destroyed. Not just by overwhelming force, but by poisoning the very roots hidden in the dark and rotting it from the inside out…


	49. Chapter 49

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

"Is everything alright?" Naruto asked, peering up from the board-game on the table towards the red-haired Jinchuuriki of the Hidden Sand. He'd taken to trying to visit Gaara every other morning just to talk to him and pass the time before he met with Jiraiya for training. So he'd gotten a good enough read on Gaara to tell something was off. "You look tired."

"I have been experiencing nightmares of the One-Tailed Raccoon," Gaara admitted, causing Naruto's expression to shift in alarm at that from knowing that the reason for his insomnia previously was because if he was asleep the chakra demon within him would begin to torment his mind.

"Has something gone wrong with the seal Jiraiya placed on you?"

"They have checked the overlaying seal and found nothing wrong," he stated. "As far as I can tell, they are presuming that it is simply nothing more than nightmares. So once my curfew sets in, they provide me with a sleeping pill to ensure that I at least get rest. However, it is bothersome that I cannot enjoy my sleep anymore."

"That's rough," Naruto couldn't help but say. He was amicable to sleep, but Gaara had been unable to do so for years since having the chakra demon implanted within him. It was a luxury to him that he enjoyed, a silver-lining to his captivity that also played into why he was being a model prisoner. "And it's just started happening recently?"

"Yes, though I can't fathom why it started in the first place. I can only hope that it does not linger." Gaara then turned his attention back to the board and moved his piece, taking the place of one of Naruto's and capturing it. "How have you been progressing in your training?"

"Eh, about as well as I can… I guess." It had been roughly a few weeks since Naruto had been bound to the village, arguably for his own safety after the attempt to retrieve Anko Mitarashi had failed. Karin… didn't take it well, and Naruto felt frustrated himself since he felt partly to blame for it after losing control, so he'd put more effort into his training as well.

He had gotten the invisibility technique down for the most part, though it didn't last long for him since Yin Chakra wasn't exactly his forte—despite having Sakura's help in learning how to convert it. The Rasengan was somewhat coming along as well, since he had to learn to form it without a clone to handle the rotation and containment. And he'd made good progress in learning to use his Wind Element.

However, he was struggling with the more inner-focused parts of his training. He was supposed to meditate, learn to still his body and quiet his mind. But he found it extremely difficult to do so when he had so many other concerns.

 _Hopefully they'll get rid of those Cursed Seals on them soon,_ Naruto thought to himself as he made his next move on the board and moved the conversation along. "So, did you read the letter you were sent by your sister?"

"I have," he said. "It merely inquired into my health and informed me of some minor changes within the village. It would seem that so far things have improved somewhat with the new Wind Daimyo, though at present they haven't selected a new candidate to become the Kazekage."

"Any idea who they'd choose?"

"The candidates for it would need to someone of prowess and social standing, or possibly possessing a bloodline similar to the Third Kazekage and my father. As I was only told what was needed in relevance to my missions and my handler was executed, I am unaware of their choice." He knocked over another piece on Naruto's side. "And this is my victory."

"Huh?" Naruto looked down to see that he was in a position where he couldn't make any moves. He was forced to concede defeat. " _Nnn…_ one more round before I have to leave?"

 **[-oOo-]**

Kiba gave chase as Sakura ran through the smokescreen-laden training ground. She was fleeing, trying to use the smoke to obscure her presence until the time limit ran out. But it was pointless as he and Akamaru closed the distance as a whirling pair of twisters from the front and back, cutting through the air with ludicrous speed.

"Gotcha!" Kiba announced as he and Akamaru stopped their spinning and turned the momentum into a lunge, arms outstretched to pin her down. Yet the pair ended up sinking through her and crashing into each other, ending into a tangled mess of limbs as they hit the ground. Kiba watched as the Clone proceeded to disperse and swore under his breath.

Then the sound of parting air reached his ears. He spun off the ground along with his Transformed ninja-hound, getting back onto his feet in time to avoid the hail of dulled kunai that came from the above. He watched as Sakura pulled herself out of the tree she was half-sunken into and then the ran off into the smoke again, leaving him snarling in frustration.

Kurenai-sensei had given their unit the task of chasing down and capturing Sakura within fifteen minutes as part of a training exercise. Normally it wouldn't be a problem for them to deal with since, between the three of them, there was no way she could reasonably get away. They were awesome like that after all and Sakura was just one kunoichi, even with those extra lessons that Kurenai had been giving her.

However, after ten minutes of chasing her down and god knows how many traps she'd set up—meaning she knew damn well ahead of time they were going to do this exercise while they didn't—he just wanted it to end. So he had been more than a little frustrated when he and Akamaru picked up her scent and rushed towards her again. They poured on the speed to catch her once he found her crouching down and preparing another trap. This time he felt resistance and held fast, pulling her arms behind her back as Akamaru grabbed her legs to stop her from getting away.

"Finally! We—" Her figure wavered and flickered out to reveal that it was his teammate. "Shino?"

Shino groaned softly, clearly in pain, as a pair of hands stuck out of the ground holding another gas-filled smoke bomb. The slender fingers pulled the string and detonated it point-blank, catching them before they could scramble away. The world tilted and Kiba fell over with a scant few moments of consciousness remaining.

 _"Dammmnnn… ittttt…"_ he managed to say before passing out.

 **[-oOo-]**

"I'm sorry," Sakura said as she phased out of the ground while Kurenai arrived with Hinata in tow to check on her students. "I planned on him getting frustrated for that last part to work, but I didn't expect that he'd hit Shino that hard."

"Is he going to be okay?" Kurenai asked her Hyuuga protégé. "I told Kiba not to use excessive force in subduing the target as a precaution, but I could hear the crashing from past the tree-line."

Hinata, whose eyes were active, nodded her head. "Um, Kiba-kun didn't break anything…. but he'll be bruised where they hit…."

"I'll have to work on teaching him to keep a level head so it doesn't happen again." Kurenai huffed, before turning to Sakura and giving her a slight smile in approval. "But that was well done. I didn't expect for you to get all three of them in the end."

"It was only possible because you gave me a week's warning in advance and they expected me to use Genjutsu right away," Sakura explained. Kurenai had approached her after practice, once she'd gotten the hang of the Hiding in a Surface technique to supplement her Genjutsu lessons. She wanted to observe how her students would react to an unexpected scenario, which was in this case being a target who knew in advanced they would be coming and had foreknowledge of their abilities—a very real possibility if they became more renown over time.

Naturally, they expected Sakura to use a Genjutsu right off the bat since that was what Kurenai was known for. Genjutsu worked best when the target didn't realize they were under one, so that naturally put her at an even greater disadvantage since Sakura knew that all three of them could track and disable her with relative ease. It was a challenge to plan for, to say the least.

"I expected you to make preparations," Kurenai admitted. "But the order and execution were almost perfectly done, given the time constraints. None of it would have worked if you hadn't removed Hinata."

"That's why I aimed for her first." She turned to Hinata. "No offense, but I couldn't think of a way to get anything done since your eyes made it too difficult to hide what I was doing compared to the others. So I considered Naruto's match during the Finals and asked Tenten how she would deal with your cousin when they practiced, to be safe. Then I came up with that plan."

Said plan basically involved launching a ball of sealing tags towards them, expecting them to dodge. It then forcibly released multiple other bombs that contained sleeping gas, blanketing the area they were in with it. Shino's insects could purge it from his body and Kiba could get out of the area quick enough with Akamaru, but she couldn't before it put her under.

"Medics and Sensors are the first to be targeted because you need to take out any advantages they bring to the opposition," Kurenai said in agreement as she turned to Hinata. "If she hadn't caught you by surprise, what measure would you have used to deal with it? And how did you being taken out change things for the group as a whole?"

"I… I would have held my breath and pulled back… or try to use the Rotation technique if I could manage it," Hinata said. "But I was surprised, so I didn't react in time. And because I had to be taken out of the area, Shino-kun split from Kiba-kun and Akamaru."

"Which was what I wanted," Sakura added. "Shino could cover a larger area with his insects, but he's slower than Kiba and Akamaru. Since Internal Genjutsu requires a developed brain and they're insects that track through scent and sight, he would ideally be able to find me faster and be unaffected by Genjutsu. So he'd respond by spreading a net."

That put a good portion of his hive out for her to deal with. Naruto had gotten to the point where he could simply use a wind technique to blow them away or spread clones out for them to deal with, while Sasuke could burn them all with fire. But Sakura needed to reserve her chakra, so she took another page out of Naruto's book and used concussive sealing tags filled smoke—she'd considered using the same gas Naruto used during the Finals but decided against it since she'd be affected too—that were altered to radiate out in a larger area at the expense of having less force behind them.

Being so small, his bugs were a lot more vulnerable to the shockwaves disrupting their internal systems and thus easier to kill. And with the smokescreen up, Shino wouldn't risk going too deeply into it without replenishing his hive. So he'd have the remainder ready to guard him against any frontal attack she could make as he hastened the process of hatching them within his body, locking him into one place.

Sakura then turned her gaze towards Kiba and Akamaru. "As for them, Kakashi-sensei raised ninja-hounds so I asked him for advice. Ninja-hounds are vulnerable to Internal Genjutsu, allowing me to start interfering with their senses like what was done to my team during the Chuunin Exams by the team from Hidden Rain. I had to be gradual in doing so, slowly altering their sense of smell and hearing while putting up a chase so they didn't notice. But by that point they were frustrated enough that when I led them to where Shino was and sank into the ground, they struck first without realizing the switch."

"And that allowed you to bypass Shino's insects since you couldn't get close to him," Kurenai finished. "Misdirection and deception are the most powerful tools available for someone who doesn't fight head-on. If you keep that in mind, I'm sure you'll excel in the future."

"Thank you for the compliment, ma'am."

 **[-oOo-]**

"The Mystical Palm technique generates the chakra that allows it to hasten the body's recovery depending on where its directed, but you have to make sure that you don't overdo it," Shizune instructed as she went around observing the various attendees of her medical training course. "Before the fish suffocates, you should be able to discern both the nature of the wound, the cause of it, and fix it. Once you're done, place it back into the bowl and record it on the report."

"Yes ma'am," the students as a whole responded, Karin included as her hands shone with pale green light. They'd gotten a basic understanding of anatomy and practiced generating the medical chakra necessary to use the Mystical Palm technique. The green hue of the chakra seemingly came from the balance between yang chakra and unaligned chakra, giving the body-enhancing qualities of the former while maintaining the versatility of the latter. There were other techniques a medic-nin would need over the course of their career, but for first aid and emergency treatment, it would suffice.

She held it over the bleeding fish in front of her that writhed sluggishly, likely drugged and numbed to the pain from a cut in its side that allowed its blood to leak out. The chakra sank into its body and spread through her chakra control, mapping it and giving her insight into the nature of the wound. It was a shallow cut that severed a few veins and arteries, the length of which was precisely three inches long and done cleanly with no fragments from a blade or particles.

 _Most likely Wind Chakra or a Chakra Scalpel,_ she reasoned. To be safe, she activated her Mind's Eye and narrowed her focus on the fish to search for any traces of lingering chakra. Impressively, it took her a few seconds to pick up the chakra signature within it. The cut was so cleanly done, and with so few traces of chakra, that it was like trying to pick a black grain of sand in a patch of white.

Committing it to memory for the time being, she concentrated on the wounded area and used the medical chakra to have the fish's body constrict the blood vessels to avoid any more of it from leaking out. Then she began to hasten the healing process—destroying dead cells, having the immune cells clean the wounds, rebuilding the lost tissue to repair the damaged veins and arteries, and repairing everything else.

Another scan followed, searching for any mistakes she made. It wouldn't do to make the arteries too weak to support the flow of blood. Once she was sure that it was fine, she normalized the bodily functions that she had been manipulating. Then she pulled as much of her own chakra out of the fish before gently placing it back into its bowl and writing her report.

Of the thirty or so applicants in the course, most of them had ended up killing their fish in the end by either healing them wrong or letting them suffocate. Others had been more successful to varying degrees. Karin's was swimming in its bowl, waiting to be inspected along with her report, as she sat patiently while deep in thought.

The Hokage had added Anko's name to the Memorial Stone since she was thought dead, or at least MIA. Karin had broken down crying upon hearing that at first. Not just because they hadn't managed to save her, but because she knew Kabuto. Her fears about returning to captivity and within his grasp was because she knew exactly how dangerous he was and some of the horrific things he was capable of.

Death would be merciful compared to finding her alive after whatever twisted thing he would do to her. And knowing that she was in the mad medic's hands because the woman chose to save her and Naruto only added to the gnawing sense of guilt deep in Karin's heart every time that she went home and looked at the door to her room. Worse was the fact that Anko's sacrifice and suffering had only bought her a little time.

She knew Kabuto would come after her again at some point. He'd probably gloat about what he did to Anko too, tormenting her over it, and maybe go after Naruto. She could just imagine the things he'd do to the boy she loved in the name of sadism masquerading as science, testing just how well he could heal until he was nothing more than a misshapen lump of still-living meat.

That's why she took the suggestion to join the medical course when the Hokage suggested it. He theorized that with her natural tendencies towards chakra control she would be well-suited for it and could help many people. To her, that would simply be a bonus since it meant she didn't have to let anyone else other than Naruto bite her and leave a mark in her flesh.

No, she intended to fight poison with poison. If she was going to have any measure of happiness, she couldn't just keep relying on Naruto to put himself out there and getting hurt. She would learn whatever measure of medical arts she could for the sake of being able to turn it on Kabuto when the time came.

Of course, she couldn't tell anyone that was what she intended to do. It was an affront to any practitioner of the medical arts and they'd definitely try to stop her. And if Naruto learned about it, he'd be disappointed with her—which would be just awful with things between them going so well at this point.

 _Another thing to hate Kabuto for,_ she thought to herself. _I hate lying to Naruto, but we won't have any long-lasting happiness until Kabuto is dead. He has to die and I have to be the one to do it._

She refused to let Kabuto take anything she cared about away from her again. She would kill him with her own two hands. And she'd do it so thoroughly enough that there would be no trace of him left in existence by the time she was done.


	50. Chapter 50

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Naruto brushed the sweat from his brow using the sleeve of his shirt and stared at the bubbling pot in front of him while licking his lips. His kitchen had rarely seen use before July, but now the stove was on full blast and steam bubbled from his pots and pans, filling his home with a myriad of appetizing scents. The gnawing sensation in his stomach that they wrought silently willed the noodles to cook faster before he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned his head to the side.

Karin was standing there, holding a spoonful of broth with one hand underneath to catch any stray drops. She pushed it towards his lips and said, "Taste this and tell me what you think."

Naruto opened his mouth and in the spoon went. The moment the broth touched his tongue he could taste mix of flavors within the hot liquid. "I can taste the garlic and onion and chicken, but there's something else. It's kind of sweet, but spicy."

"The ginger gives it a tangy aftertaste," she said, running water from the faucet over the spoon and drying it on a towel before setting it down. She then crossed her arms as she looked over everything else. Her sleeves were rolled up, showing her bare arms and the bite marks that she normally kept hidden. "How's the pork belly coming?"

"Working on it," Naruto said as he looked down to the cutting board in front of him and the knife in his hand. He was helping as well since it was a Saturday afternoon and one of the few days that they both had off to spend time together. Plus, he'd feel bad if he didn't do anything while she was cooking. That being said, he wasn't exactly the most proficient cook around. "Sort of."

Karin's brows rose at that and looked over his shoulder towards the meat. "You have to cut it more neatly. Let me show you."

She then positioned herself so that she was against his back. Her hands glided down his arms until they reached the back of his hands and grasped them firmly. From there she guided his limbs with her own nestled against them. "You can't treat it like a kunai or throwing knife. Use the points to carve into it in a single motion."

As she demonstrated, slicing the pork belly neatly a few times, Naruto caught a somewhat pleasant scent coming from her. Which was strange since she had been working on the broth since early morning and had been exposed to the heat the longest. "A…Are you wearing perfume?"

Karin released him and smelled herself, looking somewhat bothered. "That friend of Sakura's, the Yamanaka, apparently figured out we were dating, and one thing led to another. Since I figured I'd be sweating a lot, I thought it couldn't hurt… does it smell too strong?"

He shook his head and clarified before there was a misunderstanding. "I just noticed it smells like flowers." He looked back to the pot. "Still, I didn't think making Ramen was this hard or took this long."

Karin nodded as she began peeling the boiled eggs under the cold running water next. "My mother once said that you appreciate the food you like more when you put in the effort into making it. Besides, learning to cook on your own is good for when you live alone. It's helped me when I needed to pass the time back in Grass… that reminds me, what kind of cake do you want for your birthday?"

The knife in his hand paused its cutting at the mention. "Huh?"

"Your birthday is coming up, isn't it?" Karin clarified as she set the eggs down in a bowl and then turned to him again. "You're going to celebrate it, right?"

"Ah…" He set the knife down, sighed, and rubbed the back of his neck at that before looking away from her. "I don't usually celebrate it, given everything that happened that day…"

The day of his birth was also the day of the Nine-Tailed Fox's attack on the village. A lot of people died on that day, including the Fourth Hokage—who he had learned was his father. Being the one housing the Tailed Beast, the last thing people wanted to see running around was him, so he usually stayed out of sight with the exception of a few people.

It… it honestly hurt that day more than others. Years were spent where he'd just want to be acknowledged by the kids around his age, only to be shunned or ignored as he watched them go home to the people they loved while he only had an empty apartment waiting for him. And while the folks at Ichiraku's, the Hokage, and later Iruka made things better, at the end of the day he was still alone in the world.

Karin seemed to get what was being left unsaid as he trailed off. She brushed her hands clean on a towel and then pulled him into a hug. The wellspring of painful and depressing memories of birthdays spent alone in the past faded as she held him close.

 _"That was before now,"_ she said softly in his ear. A sense of comfort blossomed in his chest between the warmth of her body and gentleness of her voice. _"So many things have changed for you in the last few months, haven't they?"_

Whereas before people would have ignored him, they cheered for him at the Finals. He'd made friends with his teammates, Konohamaru's group, and a bunch of other people. He found out the identity of his family and even found out he had a clan at one point, with Karin being part of it.

And he even became a Chuunin, moving him one step closer to his dreams. "…Yeah, you're right."

Hearing the more positive change in his voice, she smiled. "So, how about we have a small party with your friends and teammates that day?"

"That… does sounds nice," Naruto admitted. "But I'm sure they'll be busy. It'd be a bit selfish for me to want to take up their time like that for myself."

"It's okay to be a little selfish." Karin leaned her head forward so that their foreheads were touching. A spot of crimson decorated her cheeks as she added, "I've actually been struggling to find a gift for your birthday too after that date you took me on, so I figured it'd be more fitting if I could instead make a great memory for you."

"Oh…" He hadn't realized that she was thinking that hard on it for so long, in-between getting her license and her own training. If it put her at ease and made her happy, who was he to argue? And, if he had to admit, it would be nice having a party with others if he could for once. "Well, if that's the case, I'll look forward to it."

Karin nodded in approval and pulled her head back as they separated. "I'll talk to Sakura and have her help me with the invitations. Depending on how many people there are, we may need to arrange to hold it somewhere bigger. And there has to be enough food and cake. What kind do you want?"

"What kind did you have for your last birthday?" he asked, only to see her expression freeze in place. "What's wrong?"

"…My last birthday wasn't too long before we met, but I didn't do anything special," she said, after a moment. "I was all alone and had to focus on getting ready for the Exams with my asshole teammates and…other stuff. I wouldn't have been in a position or have anything to really celebrate until I ran into you."

Naruto felt a smolder of anger stirring in his chest at that. Back then she was with Orochimaru and Kabuto. Knowing how scared she was of them, she would have been more afraid of dying than worrying about celebrating her birthday. As lonely as Naruto had been, he could still call this village home. She hadn't been so lucky.

"Next year then," he said firmly. The shift in tone was enough that Karin took notice. "Next year we'll do something really special for your birthday. I promise."

"…I'll look forward to it then." Karin turned towards the sink, hiding her face from his as she brushed her eyes with her hands. "Anyway, let's finish making the Ramen."

 **GRRRRRRR!** Naruto's stomach quite loudly agreed with a growl that was audible above the bubbling pots. He felt a bit embarrassed as a result. "Um…"

It served to change the mood of the atmosphere at least as a good-natured laugh followed from Karin, leaving her shoulders trembling as she kept her back to him. Once she caught her breath, she turned her head around and gave him an earnest smile that made his chest feel lighter. "Just wait a little longer and I promise it'll be worth it."

With a nod, Naruto got back to cutting the pork belly. It took a bit more time, but they managed to finish the Tonkotsu Ramen ingredients and put it together. Karin had been right when she you appreciated the foods you like more when you put more effort into it, since it was easily the most delicious thing he'd eaten since he first tasted Ramen.

 **[-oOo-]**

"Narue, open up!" said a masculine voice after a series of knocks against the wooden door leading to the basement. "The food's ready."

The sealing expert failed to register her boyfriend's voice as her eyes went over a copy of a layer of the Divine God sealing array on the paper in front of her. It was a thing of such beauty, with every curvature and line being done by the hands of what was clearly an unparalleled artisan, that everything outside of it and her were a black void. She couldn't help but admire it, with everything being done so meticulous and precisely that if she didn't know better she would presumed that this was the entire sealing array rather than merely a layer.

Such efficiency and skill must've taken a lifetime to hone. Years or decades must've been dedicated to carving it based on how many layers there were. If she had to guess, it was practically done as an offering to the god in question that was sealed within the mask.

The black void that was the world around her only came into color again when she felt something reaching out of it and grasping her. Her eyes shifted off the paper, tracing the source through the lenses of her glasses to find that Okei was now by her side in his cooking apron. The glint off his glasses hid his eyes, but she was fairly sure from his posture, and the way his fingers were curled around the handle of the ladle in his other hand, that he was annoyed.

"What's wrong, Hun?" she asked.

"We've been here less than a month and you've already covered everything in seals again." He adjusted his glasses as he looked around the basement to find that the walls and floor and ceiling had already been covered in variety of sealing arrays and script. "This is exactly why your landlord wanted you out of the last place, you know?"

"Hey, those seals did a great job in keeping that place held together." The skewer in the corner of her mouth shifted as her tongue lapped over it, savoring the lingering taste of the honey that had coated the snack. She had a bit of a sweet-tooth, so she was really giddy when he remembered to bring a few jars back from the Land of Honey during the mission he'd gone on with Naruto. The richness of the honey was just what she needed to get through the long hours of research into her work, though she would have preferred it if he hadn't gotten hurt in the first place. "Just because he didn't understand the merit of my additions doesn't mean I broke my leasing agreement."

"More like you put them everywhere without considering that not everyone liked having their walls covered in ink and writing. That's called vandalism." Okei rolled his neck as he let out a heavy sigh and then craned his head back to her. "Anyway, put your research away for an hour and come eat proper food."

"I told you I'd come out for dinner after you brought me lunch an hour ago."

His eyebrow and upper lip twitched. "Narue, that was seven hours ago."

"It was?" She peered towards the clock on the wall to see that it was just after 8 PM. "So it was."

"I swear, we rarely get time off together and you spend it in here." He had been taking more missions as of late since his arm had healed and she had been delving into her research with an unmatched zeal that could only be found in a truly passionate project after the last advancement was made.

"Don't be that way, Hun. I'm making some strides in—" Her voice died abruptly as a sharp sensation ran through her skull. Narue screwed her eyes shut and pressed her palm against her forehead. _"Not… now…"_

Whatever annoyance Okei had been feeling before had been replaced with concern as he looked on. "Is it another one of your migraines?"

 _"C-Can you go and make me some ginger tea with extra honey to settle it?"_ she asked, her voice soft despite the new information filling her mind. _"I'll come out when it's done and eat with you. I promise."_

"…Right," he said, before turning to leave.

The moment he was out of the room and shut the door, Narue rose to her feet and locked it. Then she placed her hand on the back of it and sent chakra into it. A hidden seal written in invisible ink activated and the sealing script on it rushed out and connected to several of the other seals scribbled about, forming an array that sealed the basement off from the outside by all senses and chakra.

That done, she went back to her desk and unlocked the bottom drawer, where she found that the summoning array on a slip of paper had been activated. An albino serpent was there, coiled up and flicking its tongue. She started down at it with as much contempt as she could manage. "What do you want, Yakushi?"

 _"Now, now. There's no need for the hostility, is there?"_ She shuddered as his voice left out of the serpent's mouth, goosebumps forming as they slid up her skin and slithered their way into her ears. _"After all, I've been nothing but cordial since we've met one another."_

"Cordial?" Tension threaded her body at that. Her fist balled up and she couldn't stop herself from gritting her teeth. Yet the words that managed to squeeze through came out loud and hoarse. **"You call placing this seal in my head cordial!?"**

Kabuto had seemed like a nice young man when he'd approached her, despite being several years her junior. She had been adamant in her studies into the Sealing Arts, partly due to her having spent some of her childhood in the Village Hidden under the Moon with a relative. It had enraptured her from a young age, mystified her with its workings. With ink and a brush, you could do so much with so little—you could bend the laws of nature, exploit the laws of space and time, or even perform what should have been outright miracles.

She could see the potential in it and wanted to realize it from even a young age. But to most others it was boring. You spent hours researching every line, every curvature, every script, experimenting on what changed what, working out the processes and how they were implemented. Not many shinobi were willing to put a lifetime of study into sealing work beyond the necessities that were useful on the field—storage and explosive seals.

So, when she was approached by Kabuto and he expressed an interest in her work, she was flattered initially. He came off as being a little shy, but charming. At the same time, she felt sympathy for him after learning he'd been the only survivor of the Battle of Kikyou Pass and proud that he wanted to learn more about medical ninjutsu so that others wouldn't die on the battlefield.

That was why she believed that he wanted to use her knowledge of Sealing Arts to help recreate something akin to Tsunade Senju's seal, which was said to allow the body to heal immediately after being injured. The sealing slips she'd made to house Yang Chakra were born of that effort, but the overall process was too complicated through the knowledge they'd had at the time. It still was as things stood, given the secrecy of the woman when it came to her skills and the fact that she hadn't been in the village in years.

Yet, she found herself amazed that a relatively unknown and young Genin managed to come up with the theories he did. At first, she ignored that someone with his skills and knowledge was so reclusive and merely brushed it off as him being shy. That was why she respected his wish to keep things quiet until they made enough plausible progress to release the information and possibly get funding for a project.

It was only after Kabuto had deemed her useful enough, and that she trusted him enough to follow him home, that she realized her mistake. He'd drugged her, placed a seal inside of her head while she was out, and then kindly explained the situation while she was tied down. With most of the other spies gone now after the failed Invasion and her current placement, it made her more valuable to him. But she didn't allow herself to be fooled into thinking that he wouldn't trigger the kill-switch in the seal the moment she went against him.

 _"My interest was genuine,"_ he claimed. _"After all, Sound prizes those as knowledgeable as yourself, and I'd like to believe that we both benefit from the arrangement. I even went out of my way to find that information you inquired about, providing you've done what I asked."_

She inhaled through her nose sharply, filling her lungs and holding her breath as she looked at the door and hesitated. It was treason considering what he'd intended to use it for, but she could push aside the threat of death from both sides for the sake of knowledge. What bothered her was the fact that she knew Okei would be devastated in doing so, being as loyal as he was to the village.

Perhaps sensing her hesitation, Kabuto asked, _"Is your lover going to be a problem?"_

Her eyes snapped back towards the serpent and fixed into an impressive glare. "You leave him out of this. I haven't forgotten how you had his arm broken!"

The serpent shook its head. _"I instructed Mizuki to bring Naruto-kun to me alive, not harm his allies. Otherwise, he would have never returned from the Land of Honey. As long as I gain more from him alive than dead, his safety is assured as far as my influence goes."_

In other words, as long as she was compliant he wouldn't be targeted directly. It was the 'carrot and stick' approach. If she helped when asked, she received knowledge and research to further her own studies. If she didn't, he could kill Okei and then her.

Narue pulled the seal that he asked for on a sheet of paper from a folder and showed it to the serpent. "That should dispel the seal on the Sealed Hall without triggering any of the alarms, and let you get whatever was inside of it out."

The snake's gaze looked at it carefully before nodding. Then it regurgitated a small scroll from inside of its belly. Thankfully it was waterproof, so it was easy to clean and unravel.

"This is the cipher for this layer?" She looked between the copy of the layer she had been studying prior and it. It was exactly what she requested. "Where did you find this?"

 _"I had it compiled straight from the source,"_ Kabuto said through the serpent as it took what she had made and placed on the summoning array.

Her eyes froze in place and a weight fell into her stomach as the emotional part of her caught the underlying meaning to his words and hung on them. "You raised them from the dead, didn't you?"

He didn't deny it. _"One should strive to attain knowledge no matter what it takes. That drive is the mark of a true researcher, after all."_

Narue… couldn't say he was wrong. Not exactly. Regardless of how he got it, this was a piece of lost history in her hands. The potential good it could do and the lost knowledge they could regain outweighed briefly disturbing the eternal slumber of the dead…right?

Her musing on it was disturbed when she heard knocking on the door, signifying that Okei had finished the tea. He couldn't get in with the seal active or hear anything. But he would get suspicious if they carried on longer.

 _"I'll leave your seal undone until Midnight,"_ Kabuto said through the serpent. _"Have your report ready by then and we'll move onto the next assignment I have for one of your talents. You'll be working on undoing one of Jiraiya's seals this time, so I expect it to be a challenge but within your capabilities."_

Narue pursed her lips at the thought of the challenge, but nodded her head. Even if she had regrets, it was too late for them now. Shutting the dresser and locking it again, she sealed away the evidence of her treason.

 **[-oOo-]**

Time passed until it was a mere three days before Naruto's birthday.

Karin found herself absentmindedly tapping her pen against the clipboard in her hand while looking at the list of names written upon it. They were all the people who would be attending Naruto's birthday celebration, mostly his peers that Sakura had talked to about it and the three little kids that he played with occasionally—the adults would mostly be working, but promised to show up if they could.

"There will probably be about… maybe twenty people," she said to Ayame, who was sitting opposite of her. They were inside of the back of the Ramen stall at the moment, with Teuchi manning the front as the sun set in the distance and night closed in on the horizon.

"We'll probably need to make a second cake then," Ayame mused, before a thought came to her mind. "Then again, maybe we should probably make some lighter desserts for the girls instead. Just in case they're watching their weight."

Red hair lightly swayed as Karin shook her head and handed over the list to the older girl she'd come to regard as reliable. "Most kunoichi get enough exercise that they burn it off quickly, so you don't need to worry about that."

"That's convenient." There was just a hint of envy in Ayame's playful tone as she recognized one particular name on the list. "If Kiba-kun is there, Akamaru-kun will be too. The puppy has quite an appetite for meat."

"You're right, Inuzuka and their partners are usually inseparable…" Her frustration compounded when she looked over another name on the list. "And one of them is an Akimichi too, so he might have a larger than average appetite to compensate for his clan's techniques."

Karin bit her inner lip lightly at the oversights on her part as she added a note to compensate for the pair respectively. But it was a blunder that shouldn't have happened. To be safe, she ran her narrowed eyes over the list again frantically to ensure she had caught everything this time.

Ayame set a hand on her shoulder, causing her eyes to snap upwards. "Calm down. You're doing more than enough."

"…I just want to make sure that it can be as close to perfect as possible to make up for the date he took me on," Karin confessed. "If I don't put everything into it, it'd feel like I wasn't doing enough."

"Naruto wouldn't be happy if you overdid it and stressed yourself out for him," Ayame said in turn. "It might just make him feel guilty. Believe me when I say you've done enough at the moment and that he'll be happy with things as they are."

Karin took a moment to register Ayame's words. Then she sighed and set the list down on her lap. "You're right. Thanks for that… and helping with this."

"I've been meaning to give catering a try for a while now, so it'll be good practice," Ayame said, putting on a smile before she stood up and stretched her arms. "We can start the day after tomorrow, so why don't you head on home and relax for a bit."

Karin nodded and brought the meeting to a close, but her destination wasn't her own home. It was Naruto's. She wanted to at least tell him that the location was set and everyone who planned on coming.

However, when she checked to see if he was inside with her Mind's Eye as she neared the building, Karin noticed there was familiar chakra signature in there with him. Jiraiya, or a Shadow Clone of him at the very least, judging by the amount of chakra he possessed. Curious, but not wanting to really eavesdrop on them, she instead knocked on the door and announced herself. "Naruto, can I come in?"

 _"Yeah, just a second,"_ was the response through the door. It was more like five seconds though before the lock clicked open and the door followed. Naruto gave her an infectiously warm smile and stepped aside for her to enter. "You've got really good timing, Karin-chan."

"I do?" She looked over to the Toad Sage sitting at the table with a cup in front of him. Maybe he was the original and the Shadow Clone was off doing something else? "What's going on?"

"I originally came here since I figured you'd be here at this time," Jiraiya said. "We've managed to work out how to get the Cursed Seal off your leg."

Surprise blossomed on her face at that. "You have?"

He nodded and gestured for her to take a seat. Once she did, he began an explanation. "The Cursed Seals have always been something of an enigma when it comes to Orochimaru's work to us. It simply did too many things—acting as secondary chakra source, the changes to the body and mind, the difficulty removing them, and so on. But there was one thing that was consistent with all of them so far: the method that he used to implant them."

"You mean through a bite?" she asked.

"A snakebite to be specific. But yeah." He took a quick drink of whatever was in his cup before he continued. "Orochimaru, myself, and Princess all have contracts with the Snakes, Toads, and Slugs respectively. Each of them has certain secrets arts unique to them, but they're at least aware of each other to some extent. So, after a little work, I managed to figure out that Natural Energy was involved."

Karin's brows folded in at that. "I don't think I've heard of that."

"It's sort of like chakra that the world itself gives off," he said, simplifying it to a great extent. "The Snakes and the Toads draw it into themselves to become stronger, and Sage Training allows shinobi that meet the requirements to do the same. Somehow Orochimaru injected foreign cells that passively take in Natural Energy and that basically serves as the keystone behind the different aspects of the Cursed Seals—the transformation, the additional chakra, and everything else."

"But the body should reject foreign cells, shouldn't it?" At least that was what she knew from the medical courses. "Foreign cells, foreign chakra, those sorts of things are rejected by the body over time, with the more radical changes resulting in more violent rejections. Even Medical Chakra has to be regulated properly to avoid that happening to a patient."

Jiraiya frowned, but didn't deny it. "That's part of the reason it has such a high fatality rate for the stronger Heaven and Earth seals. But if the body can handle the implantation process, it combines with the chakra inside of the seal's base and gives them varying stages of strength, feeding off their chakra and replacing it with Sage Chakra that comes from mixing Natural Energy with normal chakra. For the weaker seals, like the Seal of Subjugation, the Natural Energy just anchors it and allows the seal to carry out whatever function it's supposed to do. And because it can take in that energy passively and convert it into chakra over time, so long as the seal's output doesn't surpass the amount taken in and stored over time, it lasts until their death."

Karin had grown increasingly uncomfortable after she listened to the explanation. Tension threaded her body, leaving her fingers balled tight in her lap. "But you can remove it now, right?"

"The procedure to remove the Cursed Seal can be done as early as tomorrow, but it'll take a few hours and we've got to pretty much block off your chakra network so that the chakra present within the seal doesn't leak into it," he said. "And we'll have to drain the chakra naturally present within your body too, so it'll lose its healing properties until it naturally stores up again. But once we purge the Natural Energy and then surgically remove the foreign elements, you'll be up and moving within a day and that excess chakra can be stored away for emergencies."

"…I'll go through with it tomorrow, after I make sure we get everything we need for Naruto's birthday," Karin decided, after some thought. While she could wait until after Naruto's birthday, getting rid of it as soon as possible was better since it wouldn't be a constant weight on their minds.

"I'll make the arrangements in your place and foot the bill for everything," Jiraiya said, rising out of his chair and to his feet. "Just focus on getting a good night's sleep, and we'll have Anbu pick you up in the morning."

After that, Jiraiya bid them goodbye and then departed to handle other business. He'd been busy as of late, according to Naruto. That left the two of them alone in Naruto's apartment.

Naruto shut the door softly and then turned to her, asking, "You sure about doing this so soon?"

"The sooner its gone, the easier it'll be for me to relax." She pulled off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. "I don't want to be helpless again because it can be turned on at the flip of a switch."

"Yeah, that's definitely for the best," Naruto agreed. "Plus, the fact that they can remove it from you means they can remove it from Sasuke too. He's been stuck here as long as we have because it, so he'll probably be happy to know that much. I'll have tell him the good news."

"When you do, remind him to show up at the party too," Karin said, recalling why she came in the first place. "Sakura managed to get Team 8, Team 9, Team Gai, and Team 10 to agree to come, along with your little friends and Ayame. The adults were busy, but said they'd come by if they could make time. It'll be held at the training field where we had our date."

That place held a lot of meaning for her, and the memory of it was still vivid in her mind. If she could make it so he felt even a fraction of the happiness that she felt that night, then she'd call it a success. But it'd be better if she could return it tenfold.

Naruto's expression softened. "So, they're really coming for my birthday?"

"Of course they are. They're your friends after all." She rose to her feet and replaced her glasses before approaching him. Then, leaning in slowly, she moved her face close enough to feel his breath washing against her skin and pressed her lips together in the telltale motion for a kiss.

Naruto tensed at first in anticipation, a blush forming on his cheeks. But the tension faded the moment her lips gently pressed against his cheek. And in its place, a pleasant warmth melted his mind.

Karin felt the same euphoria rolling through her body as she lingered for a moment and the temptation bubbled up again. But she fought the compulsion to down and pulled back, settling for asking, "I'd better head home and get to sleep early. Will you walk me?"

Naruto bobbed his head in a slight daze, the hint of a reddish hue coloring his cheek now spread throughout his entire face, until he managed to snap out of it and followed her out. Midway there, he remembered he should tell Sasuke the good news and sent a Shadow Clone to do so for him.

 **[-oOo-]**

Torches illuminated the hidden space beneath the Naka Shrine, a hideaway meant to be a shelter from prying eyes and discuss important matters involving the Uchiha Clan. Privacy was essential for Sasuke, more than ever before. He didn't want to be disturbed or overseen as he underwent the process of elevating his Cursed Seal to next stage.

Orochimaru's instructions within the storage scroll he'd been given had taken time to get through and practice. More so given that he had to do so alone and failure meant death. But, as he slid the lid off of the coffin, Sasuke stood straight while the markings of the Cursed Seal spread across his body and then encroached further.

His dark hair took on a different hue as it wildly spilled down his back. Pale flesh was now charcoal in tone from head-to-toe. Broad and massive hands jutted out of his back like a set of webbed pinions, each flexing with as much effort as he would his own fingers.

Sasuke felt… **powerful**. The secondary source of chakra stemming from the seal now was so much more potent than before, a world of difference really. He felt like he could even take on Itachi in his current state, despite the difference in ability displayed when they'd last encountered one another…

 _No,_ he told himself. He wouldn't allow himself to fall into that trap again. Itachi's death would come, but not before he was assured that he could compete with him. There was still time and he needed to use every last minute of it to prepare.

After spending a few moments more getting accustomed to his new form, Sasuke released the transformation and reassumed his normal form. There was a chill on his back that he noticed as he left out of the secret panel, stemming from the new pair of holes that had come from where the wings had sprouted from unexpectedly and pierced through the fabric, leaving only ragged scraps hanging down. He made a mental note to wear removable shirts in the future as he made his way back to his home.

It was night at this point. The expansive veil of darkness draping the district was far more pronounced due to the fact that lights were largely unnecessary. The buildings were all empty save the one that Sasuke called his own, their occupants having been murdered by his brother years ago.

Yet, there was a single, familiar voice that called out of the darkness from near the main road of the district as he neared it. "Saaaassssuuuukkkkeeee! Where are you?"

Sasuke's lips pressed thin and his brows folded inwards, out of annoyance rather than anger at the trespassing. He leapt up to the top of one of the buildings to look down on Naruto's clone wandering around aimlessly. "What are you doing here, Naruto?"

"I've got good news for you," he said, sounding relieved. "They found a way to get the Cursed Seal off you!"

Sasuke managed to keep his face expressionless as that bit of news reached his ears. It… really didn't surprise him. They were working on it for some time now, but he just thought it would take more time than this.

 _Well… the timing could be worse,_ he thought to himself. There were still techniques Kakashi could teach him, but he'd gotten a good enough handle on using his Sharingan at this point that he could fill in the gaps under his own efforts. And he'd already decided that whatever tutelage the Leaf could offer wouldn't be able to surpass what he had to gain from the Cursed Seal and the chance to face his brother and avenge his clan unhindered.

So, all the clone did was signal to him that now was the time to leave.

"Got it," Sasuke said as he jumped down from the building nonchalantly, before stuffing his hands into his pocket and walking home. "You can find your way back to the entrance, right?"

"I thought you'd be more excited that you'd finally be able to leave the village again once the seal was off," Naruto's clone said, slightly disheartened at the lack of a response. "And what happened to the back of your shirt?"

"Training accident." he lied smoothly as he continued to walk towards his home. He'd already packed up the things he wanted to take with him—or at least as much as he could without raising suspicion if someone went looking around his room while he was out. So it would be relatively simple to grab the storage scroll and bag that it was all placed in, summon the snake, and leave the village undetected.

Unfortunately, the clone continued to follow behind him while asking, "Well, you're coming to my birthday, right?"

 _Right, Kakashi and Sakura did mention that, didn't they?_ Sasuke remembered after a moment. Given that he was planning to leave in less than an hour, he wouldn't be there. But there was no point in letting the clone get suspicious. "Fine. If I don't go, I'm sure the others will drag me there anyway."

Naruto's clone grinned brightly at the assurance, ignorant of his teammate's intentions. "I'll save you a slice of cake, but don't get there too late."

Sasuke just gave him a disinterested grunt and watched as Naruto's clone disappeared with a light puff of smoke. Once he was sure that there were no other surprises waiting for him, Sasuke went back to his home and grabbed the traveling bag containing the storage scroll that held everything he'd packed away. Someone would come and check on him eventually to find him missing. They'd probably search for a bit before notifying Kakashi and starting an investigation into it.

For a moment, he imagined the disappointed faces of Naruto and Sakura when they learned that he'd left. That he ignored their words of kindness and companionship, even going so far as to lie to their faces, to pursue the path of vengeance. But he'd made his choice and wouldn't turn back now.

Resolve steeled, he made the seals for the Summoning technique and called forth a brownish serpent that glared at him from its coiled position. Then he told it the words that it had been waiting to hear since he'd established the temporary contract. "I'm ready."

 **[-oOo-]**

Shortly after Sasuke was spirited away to the dwelling of the Snakes, nestled within one of the three sage regions and its location known to few, a smile played on the lips of Orochimaru as Kabuto approached him with the good news. The last of the Uchiha was firmly in his grasp now. Even if it would be a few years until he could swap his current vessel with the valued body housing the Sharingan eyes, he obtained part of what he desired from the village.

Now it was just a matter of seeing the Leaf destroyed. His last attempt was flawed because he'd gone overt and wanted to make a spectacle of it, to let the Leaf burn and let the world know it was him who was trying to become the winds of change to stir progression. This time, he'd just resort to directly undercutting the village by going after the foundation itself—the people that represented the Will of Fire that they believed in so reverently.

"Have all the arrangements been made?" he asked his protégé from his throne, his elbow resting on the armrest and head propped up by his hand. He knew Danzo favored having his ROOT members in positions where he could make changes to the village or interfere with things with little oversight. It would be relatively simple to have them set explosives at the various targets without arousing suspicious—weapon caches, the power plants, the hospitals, the stadium, the Academy, and so on.

Kabuto nodded. "The contamination rate should have reached its optimal point. We need only to send the signal through the Relay Serpents and they will obey the instructions they're given."

"Excellent. Then have them go along with the plan we discussed earlier. And have the remaining members of the Sound Four carry out their own parts as well. Warn them that if they fail this time, there won't be a third chance."

"As you wish, Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto said, before promptly leaving to carry out the request.

 **[-oOo-]**

Anko would scream if she could still move her mouth. At this point, what was left was just a mere shade of her consciousness. Akin to a dying flame with darkness closing in on all sides to snuff it out. It was only through her force of will that she was lucid enough to be aware of what was happening in her own body and mindscape.

She was bound in what felt like a cocoon of pulsing, boated meat that swaddled her so tightly that she couldn't move. The air was stagnant and rotting, with a stygian darkness hiding the rest of the victims whose bodies he had stolen over the decades from her view, barring the few closest to her. Their souls had been dragged along with his when he stole their bodies, their consciousness and chakra utterly suppressed to the point they would never wake.

The fact that she was lucid compared to them wasn't a mercy. Not when all she could do was sit there and listen as he plotted the village's destruction through subversion and terrorism. And knowing it was only possible because he'd used her body to do so after she'd been captured.

Unable to do a thing to stop it, there was only one word to describe her current state: Hell.

It was a personal Hell. Her greatest fears realized. And so she suffered in it, clinging to a frail and fleeting hope that if she held on long enough, there would be a chance to crawl out of it and put an end to Orochimaru once and for all…


	51. Chapter 51

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Karin stood off to the side as she watched the small celebration unfold, on this beautiful autumn day. The sun was just over its peak, so it was warm, but the drifting clouds that moved the shadows along the ground at the whim of the fair breezes kept the temperature at a nice range. The air was also filled with voices as most of the guest who were Naruto's peers had arrived at this point, and were filling in their time with eating, talking, or some combination of the two—opening the gifts would come later.

It was a relief honestly. A weight off Karin's chest that had been pressing down since that morning. If she had to be truthful, she would have been angry if they hadn't showed up for one reason or another.

Not because all of their efforts would have been for naught. But because Naruto would have been sad. If they made her responsible for his hopes being dashed after she had told him ahead of time that the party was being planned… well, it was better not to think that way in the long run, since they did show up in the end.

And Naruto was happy, smiling as he stood in a group with some of the other boys and talked. One was even that Neji-fellow, who had been his opponent in the Finals. She had thought there would be some animosity there after what had happened, given that his loss may have cost him his chance to advance to Chuunin. But he was surprising amicable as he arrived with Tenten, gifts in hand.

Karin couldn't hear what they were saying with the distance between them. But she didn't want to intrude on Naruto's time either, especially not when it was his day and he looked like he was having fun. So, she turned her attention to the nearby table where Ayame was.

The older girl was sitting in a chair, with the two little toads Naruto hung around with on one side, and the quiet Aburame, Shino, on the other. In her lap was Akamaru, gently being petted as she listened to Kiba talk about some mission he went on with his team loud enough for Karin to hear. He was exaggeratedly weaving it into a tale of epic proportions, in order to try and impress the older girl, stating it was just him and his hound partner going against an entire group shinobi leading an attack on a village.

Shino chimed in with the truth when he went too far with the exaggerations, of course. Separating truth from fiction, it had been three missing-nin leading a group of bandits, and the two had basically been acting as a distraction due to their mobility. While the shinobi tried to keep up with him, they didn't notice as the bugs drain their chakra before their teammate immobilized them, and their sensei had put all the bandits to sleep with a genjutsu, solving the problem of numbers relatively easily.

Still, Ayame called him brave for holding their attention. And that seemed to be enough to make him smile enthusiastically at the praise.

 _It doesn't look like there are any problems so far,_ Karin concluded before she decided to get something to eat from the food table. She had neglected having Lunch to make sure everything was setup for the party, and the fairly succulent scent coming from it was alluring at this point.

"Umm… excuse me?" a soft voice stopped in her tracks before she could make it to the table. Karin turned around to see that it was the teammate of Kiba and Shino. The one who Naruto promised to avenge in the Finals, after she was hospitalized in a fight with her cousin during the preliminaries.

"You're Hinata Hyuuga, right?" Karin asked, to be safe. "Is something wrong?"

She shook her head slightly, avoiding eye contact. "I… um… wanted to thank you."

"For what?" asked Karin. She couldn't recall meeting the meek girl before and had no clue why she would thank her.

"You and Haruno-san helped Naruto-kun prepare for the finals, didn't you?"

Karin nodded. "We did. Though, even if we didn't, I'm sure Naruto would have come up with some way to win on his own. After all, he managed to get around the surprise of your cousin using that spinning technique."

"I know he would have. Naruto never goes back on his promises after all." Hinata clasped her fingers together and put on a slight smile, a rose-tint decorating her cheeks. "That's what makes him so amazing."

Karin, looking at the girl, felt a niggle at the back of her mind for a moment as she listened to her. But she ignored it to continue on. "Yeah, it does. Even when things look their worst, he'll always show up to help you if he can. Even when it puts him in danger instead."

"That's what worried me so much about that fight." The soft-spoken girl turned back towards Naruto, and gave him a gentle look. "I would have felt worse if either of them ended up getting badly hurt because of the promise he made me. But it was because of both of you that he found a way to end it well, and Naruto-kun has finally been recognized for all his hard work because of it."

That niggling instinct in the back of her mind became clearer as Karin began to put two-and-two together. The warm tone of her voice when she was talking about his good points. That look she gave him just now. "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly is Naruto to you?"

Hinata abruptly stopped looking at Naruto and turned her eyes back to the ground, pressing her fingers together. "I… um... I admire him. I have for a long time now."

Karin's brow rose in suspicion. "Really?"

She nodded meekly. "He tries so hard, even when the odds or others are against him, because he wants others to acknowledge him. That's a feeling that I was able to relate to, so I was inspired by him… that's all."

"…I see," Karin said, her voice more subdued than before. Naruto probably wouldn't notice, given his personality and upbringing, but it was pretty clear to Karin that her admiration for Naruto had turned romantic. Considering her own feelings for him, Karin could understand why the girl would feel the way she did. Her feelings for Naruto had been something that had blossomed from the month she'd spent with him, and his actions since then had only reinforced them.

"A-Anyway, I'm glad that he's happy now and got promoted, so…" Hinata gave a small bow of gratitude as she trailed off. "Thank you for being there for him."

The animosity that wormed in Karin's mind evaporated as the girl raised her head and then walked away. Hinata was polite to a fault and seemed genuinely happy that Naruto was happy. It was hard to imagine that she could be a threat to anyone, so Karin figured that maybe she was just being too territorial when it came to Naruto—which wouldn't be fair to him, since the girl was someone he considered a friend and put himself on the line to avenge.

 _He promised never to leave alone, so I don't need to be jealous._ She stopped dwelling on it when her stomach reminded her that she wanted to eat now and went over to where the various foods were. There, the Akimichi, Chouji, was enjoying a skewer with grilled meat, mushrooms, and some other vegetables packed onto it. Next to him was the sleepy-looking Nara, Shikamaru.

Chouji looked towards her while holding a skewer in his mouth as she approached, before chewing and swallowing it. "You made this, right?"

"With Ayame." She'd handled the seasoning for the most part. "Is something wrong with it?"

"It's got a pretty unique flavor for the combination," he said. "I think it's due to the spices, rather than the meat or other foods. But its cooked at just the point where it's the most succulent, so they blend in a way that brings it all together. The closest I've tasted to it was a soup my folks brought back from a mission some time ago, and it goes well with chips too."

"That's a compliment coming from him," Shikamaru said. "A good number of the members of his clan have expansive palates due to how their techniques work, so for him finding something both unique and enjoyable is rare."

"Oh, I'm glad you like it then," she said. "I was a little worried it might not suit everyone's taste. I know Naruto doesn't have a problem with it, but I'm not familiar with everyone else's preferences."

"That'd explain the variety." Chouji nodded in approval of the spread in front of him. "You were also in the medical thing with Ino, weren't you? She said you were really good at it too."

"That's just because I learn towards Yang chakra naturally," Karin said as she reached for a skewer herself. "She did well in the course too. Her chakra control was very fine. I'm guessing it has something to do with her clan's techniques?"

The Nara shrugged, but didn't elaborate and the conversation died there since neither had incentive to keep it going. Karin wasn't very outspoken—at least in terms of being friendly—with people she didn't know, and these were Naruto's friends. Not hers. So, Karin took her skewer and enjoyed it in silence until she felt a tap on her shoulder.

It was Sakura. The pink-haired kunoichi, compared to everyone else, had a worried expression on her face that bode ill. Karin finished off her skewer in haste before asking, "What's wrong?"

"Sasuke isn't here," she said, her gaze shifting over to Naruto. "He's late compared to everyone else, and I'm getting a bad feeling. Could you check from here to see if he's on his way?"

Karin frowned as she closed her eyes focused on her Mind's Eye. She didn't feel strongly about the Uchiha one way or the other, but Naruto and Sakura did. He was their teammate after all, and Naruto really looked forward to seeing him come to his party. _I'll drag him in my chains if I have to before I let anyone ruin this day for him… wait…_

Her Mind's Eye combed over the village, mapping every chakra signature and comparing it to those she recognized. She could feel Naruto's little friend, Konohamaru, on the way here now, despite half his chakra also being at the Academy. She could feel the Hokage, Jiraiya, and Kakashi….

But no Sasuke Uchiha. "He's not here."

Sakura's emerald eyes narrowed slightly in confusion. "What?"

"I don't sense him in the village at all," Karin clarified. Her range could easily cover the village and she knew where the Uchiha district was. There was nothing there at a long-range scan.

"He would have told us if he was leaving the village or training with Kakashi-sensei, so he should be here."

"Then the only thing I can think of is that he opted to get his Cursed Seal removed and that his chakra's been drained." Karin could attest to how exhausting that was. "If it was done yesterday, then it's possible he hasn't recovered yet."

"I hope that's the case, but…" Sakura bit her lower lip in thought, only for her expression to grow increasingly worried. "I'm going to go check on him."

"Hold on." Karin grabbed her hand before she could rush off. "Naruto will notice and get worried if he sees you rushing off like that. Give me a minute to think of an excuse and grab Suzaku. That way we'll be able to go there and back quickly."

 **[-oOo-]**

"—much work for me to do before I can truly showcase Gai-sensei's teachings," Lee went on to Naruto, excitedly telling him about his new training regimen now that he had largely recovered from his surgery.

Naruto was genuinely happy to hear it. Lee had stuck his neck out for them in the Forest of Death, and showed his dedication to being a splendid shinobi despite not being able to mold chakra into Ninjutsu or Genjutsu. While bringing Shizune back to the village had been for Karin's sake, the fact that more good was done with her help and Lee was back in fighting shape made him all the happier.

"Naruto?" Karin called for him from behind, standing there with her hands clasped together in front of her face as she gave him a pleading look. "Can I borrow Suzaku for a bit? Sakura and I need to run back home for a bit to pick something up."

"Sure." He reached into his pockets and produced the sealing slip that had Suzaku's mask inside of it. A simple trickle of chakra was all it took for the mask to pop out with a slight puff of smoke into his hand, before he passed it over to her.

"Thanks." Karin took it from his grasp and then leaned in just as smoothly to deliver a kiss on his cheek. Warmth blossomed from where she'd kissed him, leaving him blushing as she pulled away and said, "Be back soon."

He couldn't find his voice, so he just nodded as she ran off with Sakura, to get far enough away to call out Suzaku without disturbing the area. Then he heard the snickering and that sobered him up. He looked over to where Kiba was sitting at the table and frowned, all while still blushing. "What?"

"Heheh… Just thinking about how red you are now," Kiba said, cup raised as though to toast him, with grin on his face that stretched wide. "Must be nice."

A low growl left Naruto mouth as he felt himself grow even redder out of embarrassment, causing Kiba to outright laugh. He was about to question who he was to make fun, when Ayame chided him.

"Making fun of someone in love is something a woman really doesn't find funny," she said, pouting slightly as she held one hand up to her cheek and sighed in disappointment. "I thought you were more mature than that, Kiba-kun."

He straightened right up, his laughing cut off as he tried to save face. "I didn't mean nothing by it." Kiba whipped his head around towards Naruto again. "Tell her, Naruto!"

The moment his head was turned, Naruto spotted the playful smile on Ayame's lips. Light teasing for light teasing, he supposed. "I dunno. Sounded pretty immature to me."

Kiba slouched forward and huffed. "Aw come on, man…"

"She's right," Ino said, now addressing her teammates. "I hear from Sakura all the effort he put into everything when they had a date here. You guys should take a lesson from him in how to treat a woman."

"Nah," Shikamaru said, fighting off a yawn. "Sounds like more trouble than its worth."

In contrast to the Nara's lack of enthusiasm, Rock Lee spoke with admiration in his tone as he looked to the sky the moment Suzaku flew overhead with Karin and Sakura on its back. His eyes were fixed on the latter, of course. "You are truly someone who is enjoying the springtime of their youth. I, too, wish to have the opportunity to do so one day."

 _I guess he still has a crush on Sakura,_ Naruto figured. Not that he didn't understand from previous experience. But if she still had a crush on Sasuke, then it wouldn't be that likely she'd return Lee's feelings. _Now that I think about it, where is Sasuke?_

"Boss!" Naruto's head snapped towards the sound of Konohamaru's voice as the young boy came running over, waving to them with one hand and a present under his other arm. "I made it!"

Ayame looked surprised to see him there. "Konohamaru, aren't you supposed to be in the Academy?"

"I slipped out and left a Shadow Clone in my place. That way I can learn while still leaving early." He flashed a cheeky smile. "Pretty smart, huh?"

"I'm not sure that your teacher would like that…" From her tone, Naruto wasn't sure she liked the thought of him skipping out early and leaving a temporary clone in his place. "Well, you're here now so I guess there's nothing for it."

"It'll be fine, Ayame-nee," Naruto told her. _Probably_ , went unsaid as he remembered just how difficult his own clones could be when they were forced to sit through something they didn't like. _Ah well, as long as his clone doesn't give anything away or dissipate too early, Iruka probably won't notice…_

 **[-oOo-]**

"Another runt has shown up," Kidomaru said as he sat off in the distance, nestled within the tree canopy. Spiders crawled over his flesh, relaying information as they scurried about in secrecy and passed messages to one another—acting as his ears while he had his main eyes closed in concentration to keep his third eye open. His words reached below to the remnants of the Sound Four, all of them wearing concealing cloaks and crouching low.

"And the traitor?" Sakon asked.

"Gone without suspecting a thing." His third eye focused on the bird growing distant at this point. "Seems like Kabuto was right about that ability of hers. She and pink-hair are heading towards the Uchiha district from the look of it."

Sakon closed his eyes in thought for a moment before rising to his feet. "Then this is a good chance for us, while they're split up. I'll go after them and deal with her."

"And that leaves us dealing with this on our own." His lips twisted at the prospect. Sure, the blonde-kid didn't look menacing, but they had seen what was left of the battlefield when they finally caught up to that woman. Kimimaro had gone all out and he still ended up a pile of rotten and putrid meat. It wasn't as though he minded a high-stakes game, but Kidomaru had no desire to end up like that.

"As long as Jirobo manages to drain the chakra away long enough for you to put the seal on him, there won't be a problem," Sakon said, his feet starting to move. "That is… unless you want to stick around when this village goes up in flames?"

Kidomaru scoffed, but didn't say anything as their 'leader' disappeared with a Body Flicker…


	52. Chapter 52

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Sasuke had run off.

That fact pressed down on Sakura's heart like a steel weight, threatening to drag it deeper into her stomach the longer she stared down at the nightstand. It was there they'd found his headband, placed in front of a picture of Team 7—signifying he'd left his past behind. She looked over to Karin, who stood off to the side with her lips pursed into a thin frown as she ran her tense fingers through her red hair.

"He must've left after Naruto told him they found a way to remove the Cursed Seal." She huffed and then looked towards the entryway. "He must not have wanted to get rid of it. I'm not sure why, but it's the only reason I can think of."

"He… probably felt he needed the power." Sakura picked up the picture and thought back to when things had gone the other way. It was when he'd run into his brother and ended up in that coma. She had hoped things could go back to how they were before; that Kakashi, Naruto, and her words had reached him—but they hadn't.

"Then he must've left to get it elevated to the next stage. It makes those who can handle it more powerful in that state." Karin looked off to the side for a moment before shaking her head. She then turned back to Sakura with a stern expression. "How do you want to handle this?"

"We have to report this, but…" She had to pause to gather herself, to breathe as the words clawed at her throat. "But then he'll go down as a Missing-Nin. They'll make him a criminal."

A tense silence hung in the air between the two at that. Sakura had to report his absence so they could send people out to find him. Stop him from making a mistake he'd regret. But he'd never forgive them for it if this was what he chose over his teammates and the village. Footfalls eventually broke the silence as Karin came over and set a hand on Sakura's shoulder.

"They won't put him in the Bingo book or make the knowledge public," she assured her. "They can't because advertising that the last member of a near-extinct bloodline would bring the vultures out—people who'd want him for it. The village is surprisingly lenient, so chances are they'd just put him under watch and house arrest or something."

It was of little comfort as Sakura brought her empty hand to her chest and grasped at it, trying to reach past the cloth for the heavy pressure building there while she sorted through which of the myriad of emotions roiling in her chest hurt the most. Was it that he didn't tell them anything? That he let them believe that he would work with them and they'd grow stronger together? Or that he left without so much as a goodbye to them—to her—for the sake of revenge?

"…Sakura, how do you want to handle this?" Karin asked her again after just watching her reaction for a moment. "I know you and Naruto were both close to him, but the longer we go without reporting it—"

Pink hair swayed as Sakura shook her head. "Do you know where Kakashi-sensei is?"

"The Memorial Stone," she said. "He spends a lot of time there."

"We have to tell him at least," Sakura decided. "He might be able to track him or something."

Karin nodded and then silently turned towards the door. Sakura set the picture down and picked up Sasuke's headband to take with her before she followed on autopilot. They'd barely made it past the entrance and outside when the Uzumaki came to an abrupt stop.

"What's—" Her words died as the whistle of air being parted by steel reached her ears and pushed Sakura's feelings to the back of her mind. She snapped her head towards the source of the sound as streaks of orange intercepted the projectiles and sent them clattering to the ground.

"We're not alone," Karin said with her left arm outstretched, a chain extending from beneath the sleeve. It hovered in the air, primed to lash out and lunge like a serpent as her crimson eyes narrowed behind her glasses at the one who'd thrown the six kunai.

He was older by a few years, with light-blue hair. Hostility rolled off him as he stood on top of the building across from them. Everything about him screamed 'enemy' to Sakura, especially the way he was looking down at them.

"Who is that?" Sakura asked, unwilling to take her eyes off him as she crouched down and picked up one of the kunai to use for herself. She hadn't brought any with her given she expected to be at a birthday party. Then again, today hadn't gone at all how she'd wanted it to.

"He must've been suppressing his chakra so that I couldn't feel it until just now, but he's one of the Cursed Seal-users working with Kabuto," Karin explained. "The fact that he's here after the Uchiha went missing probably isn't a coincidence either. I'll capture him and take him with us to get some answers."

"That's big talk considering how you ran like a frightened rabbit the last time," he said to that. "Scurrying away as fast as you could, you let everyone else throw themselves in the way to buy yourself a few more seconds that night. And yet here you are, celebrating a birthday while that woman who took your place suffers."

Karin's eyes went from narrowed to wide at that. "She's alive?"

"As alive as she can be in Kabuto's care." He chuckled cruelly at the sight of her head dipping upon hearing that, the shadow cast by her hair obscuring her face. "Death would be a mercy compared to what he's done to her. But you'll—"

He never got the chance to finish. The chain that had been placid lengthened, rocketing forward from beneath her arms without any movement on Karin's part. It was joined by another from that sleeve and two from the other arm as they cut through the air like arrows towards him.

Yet, the cruel smile from the effect his words had never left his lips. He merely twisted his body to avoid them as they whizzed by with enough force that they would have ran him through. The spear-tips of a pair of her chains then craned around and shot for him, aiming to impale him from the back, only from him to dodge them too by falling off the roof.

In a wordless rage Karin raised her head, showing her face twisted in anger while his smile was reflected in her glasses. She angled the first pair of chains to come around again from the bottom. At the same time, she pulled the second pair of chains that wedged themselves in the edge of the roof to bring down the outer wall of the neglected and abandoned building on top of him.

The enemy didn't dodge them. Instead, he threw down a pair of kunai that nailed the first two chains to the ground by the links at the neck of the tips. Then, the moment he touched down, he drove his fist upwards and shattered the rubble meant to fall on him with sickening ease before he threw a spread of shuriken their way while charging forward.

"WHERE ARE THEY!?" Karin demanded as she dismissed the chains rather than trying to pull them back in time, letting them shatter into shards that dissipated into glittering motes of orange. They were replaced by thinner ones from her finger-tips, one hand's worth diverting the shuriken and the other hunting for the enemy while dissuading him from a frontal assault.

 _She won't catch him at this rate,_ Sakura realized as he kept avoiding them. While those chains could neutralize and shut down an opponent's chakra, they had to actually manage to make contact and he wasn't making it easy.

She formed hand-seals to contribute, letting it shape her chakra to mold a specific illusion while his attention was on Karin's chains as they moved in more erratic patterns to go with her mounting frustration. It had been instilled in her during practice with Kurenai that the feeling of someone else's chakra invading their system would be noticed unless it was done with excellent control. Since Sakura didn't have the level of skill yet to stop someone from breaking it if noticed, she had to focus on that precision—which was easier said than done when being hounded by a fast opponent.

 _Let's hope that Kiba had been good practice._ Projecting the finished technique outwards with her control, Sakura felt the chakra sliding into and intermingling with his chakra system with a precise smoothness as it rode the current flowing through his body to his brain. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding as she felt the illusion taking hold through an imprint, courtesy of the spiritual nature of the Yin Chakra.

His vision was gone, turning liquid as the atmosphere became a swirling blend of undulating colors. The ground around him turned into a mire that pulled him in without reservation to drown him. No matter how hard he struggled there would be no escape until it dragged him down and kept him there.

Karin immediately shifted gears as the enemy began to crouch down involuntarily. His body had turned into a plaything of his mind under the influence of the Hazy Genjutsu, leaving him open. All ten chains went in for the capture as she crossed her arms and hurried them along—

Then the illusion was dispelled, her chakra expelled by a foreign one injecting itself into his somehow to free him in time. Using his already chambered legs to leap over the enclosing chains, he let fly another spread of shuriken to rain death from above. The chains that had been giving chase were forced to curve around upwards to deflect them and left Karin's front open as he managed to launch himself towards her with his fist chambered.

The Uzumaki brought her arms up and braced them to cover her face on reflex. Then she abruptly buckled forward as something slammed into her stomach. Doubled over, it left her face open for a punch that connected with the sound of glass shattering as her body was driven to the ground.

Sakura, in the process of casting another illusion, caught sight of a third leg extending from what should have been his stomach. The additional limb was seamlessly passing through his clothes, not tearing through it or anything. It slowly retracted as he lowered his arm that had an additional one melding into it, but Sakura didn't dwell on it when he looked towards her as she finished her hand-seals.

She felt an illusion taking hold for the second time, regardless of the extra extremities half-withdrawn into his body. Karin and Sakura vanished from his view in a wave of flower petals before lashing vines emerged from the ground and wrapped around his arms and legs. They thickened, turning into a solid tree that entwined him so thoroughly that he couldn't even breathe.

Not that she trusted it to last after he broke the first one, but she only needed a second. Since Karin was downed, unconscious and her cheek looking like a bruise would form as blood trickled from her lip, Sakura wouldn't wait for her to get chains around him in that time. Instead, with a kunai in her hand, she lunged with all her might before he could break it a second time.

She came an inch within stabbing him before an arm shot out of his body and grabbed her by the wrist before she could bring the kunai down on his head. A second hand followed, grabbing her by the throat as she felt the illusion be dispelled again and his gaze turned her. His lips set themselves into a hate-filled scowl as a second head of all things emerged.

"Let's see how you like being suffocated, girl," he said in a soft, yet menacing voice. Then his hand tightened around her throat.

Sakura could feel the digits digging into it. Fear set in as he threatened to crush her windpipe from the force alone. She struggled to get free and pull the hand away to no avail. The need for air began to drown out all the other sensations in her body and she had no doubt she would have died right then and there if not for a Chakra Chain shooting out of the ground, aimed straight for the primary head.

He leaned back to avoid it taking out an eye at the least. But the tip took a sharp-turn pierced the arm holding Sakura's own with the kunai. The second head screamed in pain as Sakura pulled her arm free in that moment and, in an act of desperation, stabbed the kunai into the arm that had a death-grip on her throat.

Chakra and adrenaline flooded her body with the rush of air that followed as she was freed and took a deep breath on reflex as she formed a single hand-seal. A discharge of Yin Chakra imitating the brightness of the sun at close range flared into existence. The blinding light elicited a scream from the primary head this time as it consumed them both.

In full-on flight mode, Sakura then spun on her heels and grabbed Karin. She was still on the ground and struggling for breath even as the chain that had extended from her palm underground dissipated. Scooping her up as best she could in the split-second they had, Sakura then ran with her to get away before they were killed.

 **[-oOo-]**

Sakon snarled as the light stung his eyes even after he's screwed them shut. It was like they'd been stabbed by kunai driven straight into the sockets. On reflex, he jumped backwards and sharpened his other senses in anticipation for another attack, only to hear nothing. When he opened his eyes again, lids straining to do so at the risk of being blinded again, he saw they'd fled.

"This only happened because you tried indulging in that sadistic streak of yours," his brother, Ukon, said. When Sakon shifted his head backwards, he saw the blood running from the two wounds to his arms. "I'll recover inside of you. Chase them down before they can get away."

Sakon pressed his lips thin as he felt his brother's body fusing perfectly into his again. The nature of their bloodline meant they could join with one another and share a single body or split in two. Both had an awareness of the other when they were combined and enhanced healing for the one who laid dormant, so it wouldn't take more than a minute to recover from wounds of those nature.

Still, it did nothing to ease his rage at being had by a couple of Genin girls. He and his brother had faced far greater opponents and come out on top, being the strongest of the Sound Four. Yet they were humiliated by the pair.

He gave chase the moment he made them out in the distance, running as fast as their last legs could carry them before turning into an alley. Probably attempting to lose him through the backstreets. It was futile, given he was faster despite the few seconds of advantage they'd gained.

They wouldn't escape him.

 **[-oOo-]**

 _"…You can drop the clones now,"_ Karin whispered, letting out a low sigh as the tension left her body as she leaned against the exterior of a building along with Sakura. They were in an alley off to the side, where Sakura had used the Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings technique on the segment of the alley they were in to make it appear to be empty. They'd hidden without moving an inch or even breathing to avoid breaking through it and exposing themselves.

"That was close." Sakura released the illusionary clones, which she had manipulated through her chakra control, after they'd exited Sakon's line of sight. He was still going after what he perceived to be the path they'd gone, meaning they'd bought time. "Are you okay?"

"Nothing broken." Though, to be honest, her stomach ached to the point there was a dull but throbbing pain that radiated outwards with every breath she took. She could also feel where the bruise was forming on her face, blood coming from where her lip had been split. And then there was the fact her head was pounding since she'd woken up from blacking out for a few seconds when they'd hit her.

But she could manage it. "I can stop the pain once I've had a minute."

"We need to hide somewhere better than here then." Sakura's head moved around, taking in her surroundings. Then she ran further down into the alley, growing blurrier as Karin's eyes failed to adjust. She was near-sighted without her glasses and those were broken. "This building has a side-entrance in the alley. Come on."

Karin followed her inside and heard the door shut as the illusion outside dropped. She could feel the dust beneath her fingers as she held her hand out to braced the wall before she lowered herself onto the floor. She then focused on gathering her chakra and converting it for medical use as she worked on dealing with the injuries. "How's your neck?"

"Bruised, but I'll live." Sakura sat next to her. "What was with him—or them?"

Karin didn't look at her, instead focused on numbing the pain receptors with her chakra while keeping track of the enemy with a narrowed focus. She didn't get caught off guard again as she explained, "They must have a bloodline ability that allows them to meld with one another. Orochimaru always had an interest in people with unique abilities and talents, and with him gone Kabuto must be pulling their strings."

A cold and dull sensation took root as the technique did its work. She had no idea how many days it would take before her healing ability was back to how it had been before her surgery, so it would suffice for now. "I couldn't tell there were two of them until the second one started moving, but they have to be aware of each other too while in that state. Otherwise they wouldn't have been able to break the Genjutsu so quickly, despite it being an obvious one."

"Well, there was no time for subtlety when he was going directly after us," Sakura muttered in her defense. "When the enemy knows you're there, the easiest thing to do is to use one that allows you to inflict enough mental trauma or disorient them enough to get an opening to strike. But when there's two of them it's a problem because one can inject his chakra into the other to break it."

"I'm not shifting the blame," Karin said. "If I had known there was more than one of them I would have tried something different too. Either way, now that I know I can try again with a little more luck. It'll all be over as long as I get them in my chains."

Karin could practically hear the disbelief in the kunoichi's voice as she asked, "You're still going to try to capture them?"

Nevertheless, she nodded her head. "I won't get a better chance than this. They've lost the element of surprise and they're in enemy territory. If we escape from the district they'll have no choice but to retreat, so they're rushing around to find us. I can use that to my advantage."

"That's stupid!" Sakura responded. "We should focus on escaping and telling someone who can deal with them and let the Hokage know about this! If you can sense them then we can wait until we have an opening, get on Suzaku and then—"

"Live in fear until they pull this again?" Karin filled in for her, a sharp note in her tone. She wouldn't be able to look forward to the future if she was always afraid that one day they'd take even Naruto from her. And then there was Anko—they hadn't even known each other for very long and she put herself into harm's way to save both her and Naruto. For them to bring her up just to mock Karin only served to fuel her anger and determination to correct that.

Sakura went still for a moment. Judging her, if Karin had to guess. Then she shook her head. "We can't fight them head-on. They're stronger than us physically, and they were faster than your chains were. You'd never catch them."

"I just need to get my hands on some ink and paper," Karin said as she finished, the glow of medical charka fading. "I still remember the seals I made for Naruto during the Chuunin Exams. They probably won't be strong enough to kill them, but if I can just distract them and catch at least one of them in the chains I can manage."

"And if they catch you, then it won't matter," Sakura pointed out.

"That's where you come in." Karin reached into pocket and pulled out Suzaku's sealing slip. "I'll call out Suzaku and have him on standby with you. Once I have them distracted, he'll fly you out to tell someone what's happening. If they managed to catch me, then Naruto can use the mask to track me through the spiritual connection as long as I'm alive. The village can then gather whoever they can to find Kabuto and put an end to him."

Sakura stared at the sealing slip in absolute silence. Then she reached out past it to grab Karin by the shoulders and jerked her closer, until they were nearly face-to-face. "And what am I supposed to tell Naruto, huh? That I had to run away while you let yourself get caught on the same day that I have to tell him his teammate decided to abandon us for them without saying anything!?"

Karin winced as the girl's fingers were digging into her shoulders, caught off-guard by the sudden aggression. But she was quick to state, "There is no other choice! I won't get a better chance than this! And if it works they'll be able to find the Uchiha too, so—"

"I'M NOT DOING THAT!" Sakura shouted, the silence of the long-abandoned building broken by her outburst. A moment later, strength left Sakura's arms as she continued in a lower tone. "I've already have to tell Naruto that Sasuke abandoned us—abandoned the village, without telling us anything or letting us help him. Do you think I want to tell Naruto that you're gone too on his birthday?"

Karin expression grew heavy, her eyes and lips dropping as she processed that. Thankfully, Sakon had been far enough away not to hear it. But it was risky and she should know better, so it had to be a weight on Sakura that Karin didn't take proper note of.

"How do you think he'd feel that you made that decision on your own and left him behind?" Sakura continued, her shoulders trembling. "How do you think I'd feel having to tell him I let someone else fight while I ran away and hid again? Do you know what it's like to go through that?"

"…It's not that I want to do this, but it's that I have to," Karin said after a moment. "If they get away, how long until we get another chance to deal with Kabuto and the remainder of Orochimaru's forces? How long until they manage to slip in again and take one of us then? This is as close to a last chance as I'll get, so I have to act now while I have the chance."

"I'm not letting you do that," Sakura said in a firm tone as she regained her composure. "There has to be another way to accomplish everything at once. Just give me a minute to make up a plan and we'll go from there."

They were wasting time arguing and there was only so much she could do alone. If working together gave her a better chance of success, then there was no reason for Karin to disagree. And, if things took a turn for the worst, she could just put her to sleep and have Suzaku fly her out. "Fine. What do you have in mind?"

 **[-oOo-]**

Sakon had grown frustrated over the minutes as he searched for the girls to no avail through the alleyways when he caught the faint sound of chains rattling. A second later one smashed through the right wall of the alley he was in as he leapt backwards to evade it. The tip of it curved around like a serpent to track him down while three more tore through the wall to get at him as well.

He bound off the sides of the wall and into the air above to look down and see how far away they came from. The target was hiding behind a building some distance away, her head angled up towards them as he flung a spread of kunai towards her. When she disengaged the chains to dodge, it confirmed that her vision was compromised in accordance to the information Kabuto had given them, leaving her only means of detection being chakra-sensing.

"I'll draw out her attacks," Sakon said as he split from his brother, ejecting him through the use of chakra while Ukon's was suppressed. If she could only track by chakra then he should be able to get the drop on her with ease.

As Ukon ran the other way to circle around, Sakon started moving again and exited through the alley's mouth into the wider street. A flash of orange caught his eye from a corner as snaking chains came for him once again. This time from above as he spotted her on a rooftop, leaping from one to the other as chains from her arms lanced through the air down towards him. He was moving to get around them when he noticed that tags were lining the tips of each of them, ready to detonate.

"Tch." He disappeared with a Body Flicker, escaping as the tag on the leading chain went off when it reached where he had been. No sooner than he touched down on a light pole, just outside of the blast radius as the dark smoke mixed with the dirt and dust, the other three chains parted the veil from different angles to pincer him in. Sakon dodged those as well, landing on a roof briefly to note that the excessive noise would draw attention when he spotted the something moving in the air.

 _The pink-haired one is running,_ he thought while watching as she rode on the bird they'd flown in towards the edge of the district while the other bought time for her to escape. That would bring the ANBU to the site if the smoke didn't eventually, but they'd be long gone by then. "Better not waste any more time."

Cursed Seal markings spread across his body, making it stronger and faster than before. A cloud of dust rose up as he kicked off the surface of the rooftop and rushed for the fleeing traitor as she jumped down into the alley below, seeking to escape. He didn't let her, bounding off the side of the opposite side of the alley wall to slam his foot into her back. The blow was hard enough to cripple her since he only had to bring her back alive…

Or so he thought until she broke apart into cherry blossoms that scattered around as he passed through the space she'd been. He fell into a skid as he landed, his mind racing as the cherry blossoms swirled in a maelstrom that blanketed the surroundings and fell down over him like snow. _I thought the other one had run away, but that was a Genjutsu in itself…_

He flared his chakra flow to disrupt the illusion, only to find that some of the petals that had fallen were explosive tags that were mixed into it. It had been a trap and the one responsible, the traitorous target, was standing just past the mouth of the alley with a smug look on her face. She'd gotten the better of him and knew it.

His frustration and fury boiled over as he allowed the Cursed Seal to reach the next stage before the explosions swallowed him whole. Heat and force pounded at his flesh that warped, becoming a darker shade of red with scales emerging from half of his body to form armor as the rest became that of an oni. He shot out of the smoke, burns lining his flesh and smoke curdling off his body as he reached out to grab her. **"I'll tear your body apart from the inside out!"**

The moment he went through the mouth of the alley it was like passing through a portal into another world. The street itself transitioned to being a web of Chakra Chains, running in zig-zag lines that cordoned off the entire section to prevent escape. All at once they closed in on him from all angles and, in an instant, they'd made contact with his skin and coiled around his body mid-lunge.

They wrapped tightly, connecting and melding to become fetters that pulled his arms and legs apart. The transformation of the second stage of the seal was suppressed as they coiled around his abdomen and neck, the two locations where he'd drawn his power from. Then they pulled taut as though to strangle both his air circulation and chakra network all at once.

 _"Urk…khaa…"_ Struggling to breathe, he turned his head to follow where they stemmed from. His eyes went wide as he found Karin behind him there, filthy with dust covering her face where it clung to the sweat that glistened in the spots that were unblemished. He struggled to get free as the chains dragged him closer while her hands were outstretched and covered with a pale-green shrouded of chakra. _"Ya…You…"_

The moment she grabbed his head, it was over. The world began to swim and everything… grew… _dark…_

 **[-oOo-]**

"Okay, he's out," Karin said as she removed her hands from his head, the tinge of the medical chakra dissipating as Sakura dropped the Transformation technique and returned to her normal appearance. The plan was to split the brothers apart from the beginning, though if they remained together it would have been fine so long as they were both wrapped inside of Karin's Chakra Chains. They had already suppressed their chakra once to sneak up on her, so it was only reasonable to assume they would try to do so again.

Once Sakura, who was in hiding, saw them split apart she placed the other under an illusion to divert his direction away from the alley and the explosions. That done, she then layered a different Genjutsu onto this one to buy time for Karin to set the web of chains up until he fell into the alley. The exit had been masked to hide what was behind it until he passed through it.

It couldn't have been more than a minute after the execution that things had gotten to this point. But that was the longest minute in her life. Especially when he'd taken on that monstrous appearance. "That was close. I knew they could get stronger from the markings, but I didn't think they'd change that much. And then there's the threat he made at the end..."

"People who have a second-stage seem to be able to use their abilities to a great extent," Karin explained. "The bone-user made an entire forest of them under his, so if I had to guess this one and his brother could probably merge with other people using their bloodline. The body rejects foreign cells and chakra, but if he used his own to overwrite it then he could probably use it to do whatever he wanted to it."

Sakura let a shuddering breath leave her mouth at that. "And you're sure he's secure?"

Karin nodded as she stripped the man of his weapons while the excess chains dissipated, leaving only those that left their prisoner bound with a length for her to drag or carry. "The medical technique is meant to put patients under so they don't struggle while being treated. An enemy can shrug it off before it takes hold by using their chakra to expel the medical chakra being used, but he can't while in my chains."

"Then let's get out of here before the other one—" The words died once she felt the Genjutsu she placed on the other one being dispelled. And that one was the highest-tier technique she had, taking a lot more chakra to make it harder to dissipate once it was inside of their chakra system.

Karin stiffened, no doubt sensing the change as well. She pulled Suzaku's mask from the sealing slip and called out the Vermillion Bird as chains emerged from her body. One connected with the captive's chains, melding with it before abruptly lifting him onto Suzaku's back. The others flowed around Sakura to try and catch the demonic figure that exploded from the walls behind her.

He dodged them. Faster than Sakura could keep track, he slipped beneath the chains and then grabbed her, slamming her into the ground hard enough that her vision flared with agony. When she opened her eyes again, despite pain hammering at her skull as frantically as her heart did her ribcage, he was gone and the spear-tipped chains were angled down towards her.

Sakura sat up and her emerald eyes turned towards Karin, who had a startled look on her face as she stared over her shoulder. Then she heard breathing coming from next to her ear and felt her heart stall. She turned her head slowly turned to see the demonic one attached to her shoulder seamlessly.

Then he made his demand. "Release my brother or she dies."


	53. Chapter 53

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Fear and horror gripped Sakura's heart in a stranglehold. Her breathing hitched, lungs refusing to contract or expand as her eyes fixed themselves over her shoulder, staring at the demonic-looking head that was fixed onto her. No... _into_ her, integrating into her body seamlessly through his bloodline ability. She could feel him there with every breath he took, as if he was a part of her.

Karin snapped out of her own shock first. The chains that had been frozen in the air rattled as they moved again, aiming for the second head. Sakura could only think that she meant to have them coil around his throat and yank him free, hopefully pulling the rest of him out too.

"You should think twice before you do that, unless you want this girl to die with me," Ukon warned. "We've merged into one now. Without my chakra acting as a medium to make it possible, you'll kill us both from the rejection. You don't want your little friend to die because of that, now do you?"

The chains stilled in the air, unmoving once more. Then they withdrew an arm's length to avoid making contact with either of them. Whether or not the threat was real, it didn't seem like Karin would risk using them.

An amused chuckle left his mouth, as if proud. "Good girl. You—"

Steel cut through the air as Karin threw a stolen kunai the moment that he opened his mouth to talk. Sakura fought against her reflex to dodge as it speared through the space between her face and shoulder, aiming for the demonic-head there. What followed wasn't the wet sound of flesh and bone being pierced, but instead the dull _thud_ of the sharpened point burying into the ground just behind where Sakura was.

"Careful now," he said as his head emerged next to hers again, on the opposite side. The coarse strands of his hairs grated against her cheek as he slid his head next to hers, making them uncomfortably closer. "Our bodies are merged to the extent that I can form my limbs or hide my body entirely inside of hers. If you strike me carelessly, you'll hurt her too."

Karin tensed at that while cradling another kunai in her palm. Then her gaze shifted to the Vermillion Bird, which tossed the sedated prisoner down in front of its master. She grabbed him by the hair and pulled his head back, exposing his pale throat as she pressed the kunai against it. "Get out of her or I'll kill him."

His response to her taking his brother hostage was merely to chuckle. Then Sakura felt a burning pain, eating away at her from the inside starting at her stomach. She couldn't help but let out a cry, bringing her hands there as she fell over and curled up in pain.

"We're bonded at a protonic level, meaning that I can do all sorts of things to her with a thought," he explained as Karin glared at him. "For example, I can disassemble her entire cellular structure in such a way that the destruction of the cells invokes the immune system to respond by raising the body temperature and releasing chemicals that tell her brain that she's suffering from acute pain. And it will only grow more intense the longer it lasts, until it burns itself out trying to heal the damage or I snuff out every cell in her body."

"Get out of her now, or I'll slit your brother's throat and let you watch him bleed out!" Karin threatened as Sakura clenched her teeth and grasped the fabric with balled fingers. Sweat beaded her brow. It felt like she was burning up now, leaving her to believe it wasn't a lie.

"I wonder how your boyfriend will react, knowing that his teammate suffered and died because of you?" he mused in a mocking tone. "He'll never forgive you, will he?"

Karin's expression darkened before looking over to Suzaku. "...If I release your brother, you'll kill her anyway," she pointed out hesitantly, as if reasoning to herself on her next course of action. "I'll take him with me and explain everything, telling them that I did my best, but I couldn't save her. That's all I can do now."

Sakura could see the slight tremor in her hands as they held the kunai and hostage. Despite her best efforts to convince herself, Karin didn't want to leave or abandon her. And if Sakura could see that, then her capturer certainly could see it as well.

"Do you think he'll forgive you for abandoning a friend he's known longer than you just to save yourself?" he continued. "Of course not. You won't be able to face that little boyfriend of yours and will run away again, alone and miserable until we catch you. It would be much easier if you just surrendered now, otherwise her death won't be pleasant."

…His words were playing on her fears, striking at her heart to break her resolve. Sakura feared, the way things stood, Karin would cave in and that would be the end of it. She would die, Karin would be taken, Sasuke would remain missing, and Naruto would lose the three people that he cared about the most...

 _This won't be the Forest of Death again._ Sakura decided as she forced her head off the ground and spotted the kunai that was thrown earlier. She bore with the pain burning her up on the inside to reach for it, taking it into her grasp as she swallowed the lump in her throat. Then she jabbed it towards the second head that was over her shoulder!

The point fell short as a limb emerged from her chest and grabbed her wrist. There was a disdainful look in his eyes as he tightened his grip. The pressure was intense, to the extent she felt the bones starting to crack, forcing her to drop it. "Hostages should know their place."

Sakura couldn't suppress a whine at the pain, but she didn't give up. They couldn't suffer a witness to whatever they had planned, so she was dead the moment they caught her. At the very least, she refused to be used as a bargaining tool against her friends. Pouring her chakra into the ground to use the Hiding in a Surface technique, she turned to Karin and shouted, **"Surround us so he can't get away!"**

Karin hesitated for a moment. Then her extended chains stretched out again and formed a circle that built on itself. Soon a cocoon was formed around them, no way out and leaving them trapped inside as they began slipping beneath the surface.

Not at all expecting the change in dynamics, Ukon looked down on Sakura and demanded, "What are you planning?"

"I'm going to cancel the technique underground," Sakura said as they reached the point where her abdomen was phasing into the ground. The pain, among other things, were slowing her down. But with the cage up it didn't matter as long as she managed to submerge them entirely. "You can guess what'll happen if you're sharing my body then, right?"

The Hiding in a Surface technique allowed one to phase through a surface by suffusing it with chakra, allowing the user to pass through or hide within it. Then the user would use their chakra control to squeeze themselves in and out of the space that was created by the technique. But if you canceled the technique while in a solid surface, it was instant death.

"You're bluffing!" he said with a snarl upon realizing that, since he was joined with her, he'd die as well. His only escape would put him into the cage surrounding them, which had already proven capable of neutralizing his Cursed Seal entirely if it connected.

"I'm going to die anyway at this rate," Sakura said unwaveringly, now up to her chest within the ground. "So, isn't it natural that I'd be willing to sacrifice myself to protect a friend?"

Her eyes, her voice, nothing betrayed that fact. She was going to sacrifice herself if it meant killing him so that Karin didn't have to bear the burden. And so that Sasuke could eventually be brought back to the village.

Realizing that _he_ was now _her_ hostage, all sense of superiority he had disappeared in an instant as the ground swallowed them up to her shoulders. He glared at her murderously before his cowardice won out. All at once, before her head sank beneath the surface, Ukon took the gamble between imprisonment or death and ejected himself from Sakura's body.

The chains immediately closed in, crushing him between the links as they covered him from head-to-toe. The Cursed Seal markings vanished before the full-body bind abruptly shot towards the nearest building and slammed his unempowered body against the wall out of spite. "Agh!"

"Bastard!" Karin called him before dropping his brother onto the ground unceremoniously and leaving Suzaku to watch over him. She then ran over as Sakura squeezed herself out of the ground, body continuing to burn on the inside with a feverish heat. Karin hovered over her with medical chakra lining her hands, running them over her body.

" _Ngh_ … Don't think you've… done yourself any favors here by catching us," the conscious twin stated as he writhed in the hole he'd been thrown into. "It would have been better if you'd just come with—"

His words died as the rattle of a chain drowned it out. Emerging from Karin's backside, the length tore through the fabric of her clothes as it crossed the distance between them. Wrapping itself around his throat, it proceeded to strangle him mercilessly.

Karin's ruby-toned eyes were narrowed. Anger and hate stormed behind them in place of where there had been weakness and hesitation before when Sakura had been taken hostage. Murderous intent that rivaled the look in Sasuke's eyes back when he'd first awoken the Cursed Seal in the Forest of Death sent a chill up Sakura's spine.

She reached up to Karin's shoulders to grab her attention before she could drown in it. "He has information we need. Let's take him alive."

There was a tense moment before Karin exhaled. The murderous eyes softened and the chain choking him abruptly shattered into motes. "Fine."

He gasped for air, streamlets of drool slipping from the corner of his lips, before chuckling between breaths. _"Heh…too soft... after all..."_

"To get inside of the village someone had to have helped you," Sakura said, addressing him as she sat upright. "Who was it?"

The captive shrugged his shoulders as he continued panting. _"Won't matter... soon..."_

Sakura waited for him to give a more definite answer than that, but when it was clear he refused to say anything further Karin yanked the chain holding him down. He hit his forehead onto the ground hard enough to draw blood before she flipped him onto his back. Then she dragged him over and put him down like she'd done with his brother.

"…I'm sorry," Karin said, gingerly brushing Sakura's wrist afterwards. It went numb under her touch before she helped Sakura up and over to Suzaku. "Whatever they have planned, it'll take time to go through the normal channels to figure out, so we're going to have to change our plans to get you help as well."

 **[-oOo-]**

"You should at least introduce yourself to him, Princess," Jiraiya said from his seat opposite of his teammate. "He'd appreciate knowing he has a bit more family around."

At the moment, the Toad Sage was trying to convince Tsunade to at least stop by to visit Naruto's party. She was keeping her word about not drinking, and the therapy sessions were helping. But she was acting like a recluse for the most part, rarely leaving her home unless prompted by the Old Man.

While Shizune was growing accustomed to her home again and making a place for herself, Tsunade was still distant enough that he suspected she would leave the first chance she got. She needed new ties to the village to make it more than just a place consisting of buildings and people, but somewhere she truly called home. And Naruto could use more adult figures in his life, so Jiraiya was hoping that it would be a good chance for them to get to know one another—for both of their sakes.

Tsunade, sitting with one leg crossed over the other as she looked at some report of Shizune's, peered up from it and gave him an annoyed glare. "I'm not going to waste my time playing with a bunch of brats, Jiraiya. Quit asking."

As Shizune entered from the kitchen, he turned to her and said, "Back me up on this, Shizune-chan. Princess could spend a little more time with the kids, right?"

The apprentice jostled slightly at being brought into the conversation and having her Lady's eyes turned on her, one brow raised as if daring her to go along with Jiraiya. It was telling that relief came across her face as she turned towards the door at the sound of rampant knocking. She excused herself to go answer, leaving Jiraiya alone with an irate Tsunade that looked as though she was deciding on how best to punt him through the wall.

"Miss Uzumaki!?" Shizune's shocked tone grabbed their attention. They both turned towards the door to see Karin, her clothing dirty and stained with sweat while strands of her red hair were clinging to her forehead. There was a visible bruise on her cheek as well.

Next to her was Naruto's teammate, looking ill and feverish. It didn't look like she could support herself from how she was starting to waver on her feet. _"We need... your help..."_

Jiraiya rose to his feet, the previous levity in his tone gone. "What happened to you two?"

"Sakura and I were attacked in the Uchiha District by a pair of Cursed Seal users," she explained, gesturing to door where Suzaku was. The bodies were hanging off its back, wrapped in chains. "We were looking for Sasuke Uchiha since he didn't come to the party when they attacked us, after we figured out that he was missing."

Tsunade swore under her breath, a sentiment that Jiraiya shared as Shizune helped Sakura into the home and sat her down before taking a look at her. While that was going on, they got the details from Karin on everything that had transpired. Sasuke Uchiha had been either taken or willingly left the village for a day or more, the captured pair were among those who'd been a part of the group chasing her during the breakout, and there was some plan to destroy the village.

"Someone had to have helped them get into the village, and there's only a handful of people I could be sure weren't involved when we were pressed for time with Sakura's condition. So we came here since I sensed all of you together," Karin finished. "Jiraiya-sama, if you can come with me then we can get the Priestess Mask and I can get the information from their heads right away."

After giving it some thought, Jiraiya agreed with her logic. It was safe to say that at this point someone had to have helped them get past the village's detection system for them to be able to get inside so easily, and for the last Uchiha to vanish without being spotted. And if that was circumvented, what else could they have gotten into? There were a number of things that Orochimaru could be after.

He turned towards Shizune and asked, "How's she look?"

"…His bloodline seems to trigger apoptosis in the body," Shizune said cautiously. "He tricked it into destroy the cells at an accelerated rate and then has his own replicate in their place the longer they were merged. But it could also be necrosis or something else consider her pain. Either way, her body is going into overdrive trying to get rid of the foreign cells and cope with the destruction of some essential ones. She can recover with some help, but I should get her into the hospital as soon as possible."

"Okay, then do that and make sure she's taken care of." The Toad Sage then turned to Tsunade. "Princess, go see the Old Man and tell him everything. Whatever they have planned, its likely to be happening soon. We'll get the information to you as soon as possible."

 **[-oOo-]**

Kiba's ears twitched as a barely audible grumble reached his ears, leaving him to look over to his teammate, Shino. Aburame, in general, were rather calm and collected. That allowed for them to make for rational decisions during times of both war and peace, as well as leave their kikaichu unbothered by the fluctuations in chakra during times of heightened emotions.

So for him to be—for lack of a better term—bugged, meant that something was off. "What's eating at you?"

"The Kikaichu that I've scattered to deal with any mosquitos and other pest in the area are disappearing," he explained. "Something is preying on them."

"Isn't that natural though? They're pretty small, so other bugs could eat them, right?"

"Not in these numbers and within the village. It is... unnatural." His posture shifted as he took a step behind Kiba and turned around so their backs were facing one another. "I wish to investigate it, but I don't want to cause any undue concern."

Kiba didn't think that there was anything, but shrugged. If it set Shino's mind at ease, why not? "All right. I'll keep an ear out."

Shino crouched down and made the Ram Seal as he gathered his chakra into his hand, shaping into the Insect Gathering Technique, before setting his fingers down on the ground in a spread pattern. Strands of chakra shot out of the tenketsu and into the grass and dirt, lingering there to draw in any nearby bugs or subterranean ones that could inform him of his surroundings. It was a good thirty seconds before the ground shifted and worms emerged, drawn in by the technique. Shino listened to it for a moment before he released the technique and stood up again.

"You find something?" Kiba asked.

"There's something abnormal under the ground," he said. "I'll get Hinata to confirm it before notifying the others. But be on-guard."

A slight nod of the head was all the confirmation he gave before Shino started walking towards Hinata, who was nestled between with Tenten and Ino. Girl talk from the sound of it. It was still probably nothing, since this was a training field after all, but it wouldn't hurt to be a little cautious. So Kiba whistled in a low tone for his ninja hound.

Akamaru's head snapped up from his perch on Ayame's lap once it reached his ears and he climbed down, coming over to his partner. He crouched down and patted the puppy on the head, telling him to remain vigilant. However, before Hinata activated her eyes, the ground began to rumble violently.

"What's happening?" Ino asked, startled as she clung to the chair she was sitting in. "Is it an earthquake?"

Any answers she may have received were drowned out as the earth upturned, knocking aside the tables and kicking up dust as it rose. Bodies scrambled away as the shinobi among the group jumped away and landed on their feet, while Ayame was carried off by Naruto in both his arms as he stuck the landing and then darted away as far as he could to safety with her. As the dust veil obscuring their view slowly cleared they found that now looming over them was a giant of stone, with thick limbs composing its arms and legs.

 _… Okay, wasn't expecting that,_ the Inuzuka would admit to himself as the golem craned its head around as though it was searching for something. Either way, he was fairly sure that it wasn't supposed to be here.

"Boss! What is this thing?" asked the Hokage's grandson as Naruto deposited Ayame next to him, along with the toads. No sooner than he'd set them down did the golem's gaze fix on him, and it used its hands to scoop up a mound of dirt that compressed with a crumpling sound to form a boulder.

"Not friendly!" Naruto answered before making the cross-seal and conjuring two clones to grab the kid, toads, and Ayame, carrying them off in the opposite directions as the boulder was thrown in his direction. He dove out of the way as it crashed down on where he'd been, half-burying itself into the ground that buckled under the impact.

Then, before he could get back onto his feet, something that flashed golden slammed into him. Tumbling over and back, Naruto let out a short, pained cry before coming to a stop on the ground again. This time his entire abdomen and arms were covered in what looked to be golden webbing, clinging to him and pinning his arms into place no matter how hard he strained. "I can't get free!"

Now on high alert, Rock Lee rushed over to help. But before he could Neji shouted, "Lee, stop!"

He did so just in time as a golden blur whizzed past where his head would have been otherwise and then hit the ground with a thud, revealing it to be an arrow. Kiba whipped his head around to where it'd come from and spotted what looked to be an onrushing carpet of black and red. One of the girls screamed as spiders of various sizes poured from the woodlands surrounding them, crawling forward like an onrushing wave.

 _That explains what happened to Shino's bugs at least,_ Kiba thought as Akamaru snarled at the arachnids before turning back towards Naruto as his body was aglow from calling up enough chakra that it was visible. He clearly intended to reinforce his strength and break the bonds, but the attempt was cut short as a pair of arms burst from the ground beneath him and grabbed hold. _Another one!_

The chakra that Naruto had been getting ready to build up was siphoned from his body and into the arms. They tightened and pulled him down flat against the ground, forcing out his breath. Then the earth crumbled beneath him and he was pulled beneath the surface.

Just like that, Naruto had been taken right before their eyes.

The moment that sank in, Rock Lee turned towards his teammate. "Neji-kun!"

"There's a tunnel beneath the ground!" Neji shouted, his Byakugan active now. "The one who grabbed him is using it to escape while draining his chakra! It looks like its heading off towards the perimeter of the village!"

In other words, it was a kidnapping. Someone had attacked them with the intention of taking their friend—their comrade, and fleeing the village. Even with all the chakra Naruto had, it was useless if it was all drained before he could use it. And chances were they would never see him again by the time they could report it, especially between the spiders and the sniper in hiding.

…Hinata was the first to move, immediately running for the gaping hole as her own Byakugan flared to life, no doubt driven by her own past. "Naruto-kun, hold on!"

A low rumbled bubbled up in the golem's throat at that, as if offended at the attempt to slip through while another arrow flew through the air to meet her charge. Uncaring as the golem slammed its fingers into the ground to pull up more earth and unwilling to stop, she fell into a slide to allow the arrow to narrowly miss her head. Then down into hole she went to chase after Naruto, even as the golem proceeded to wrench free a massive mound of compressed earth in the form of a dumpling and tossed it to crush everything around the hole and plug it.

There was no more time to think. If that hole closed up then they'd lose track of both Naruto and Hinata. He'd lose a friend and a teammate. So, pouring chakra into his legs as he scooped up his ninja pup, Kiba lunged for the gaping hole as Rock Lee entered into it next.

His heart pounded in his chest as the shadow of death expanded beneath them before they managed to pass the mouth of the entrance. Barely. And then there was a deafening crash as the darkness became all-consuming and they fell into the unknown abyss to rescue Naruto before he could be taken away, entrusting the others to hold their own…


	54. Chapter 54

**Another chapter is here!**

 **Enjoy!**

Without a doubt in Shikamaru's mind, the most dangerous thing present wasn't the sniper lurking in the trees at the edge of the training field. Nor the Golem that had upturned the earth and blocked off the chance to go after the original Naruto with the others. It was the horde of man-eating spiders that swarmed forward.

They could dodge the sniper's attacks. They could outpace that massive earthen Summoning. But the spiders were another story. Their numbers were so swollen they formed an onrushing tide, black waves rolling forward and blanketing the greenery of the grass. It was probably safe to presume they were poisonous too if the intention was to wipe out all witnesses after securing their target—the original Naruto.

His mind raced through options as the horde continued to move forward. The Golem was too big and heavy to try and pin its shadow down. He could, theoretically, pin down a decent portion of the spiders as they swarmed forward, linking his shadow to one of theirs and then branching out like a root system. But between his range, the way they were spread out, and the sheer numbers, he'd be overtaken swiftly unless there was a way to pin them all down at once.

All of them would. Techniques like the Rotation and possibly the Human Boulder could stave off how long it would take for them to die, but it would still be by seconds. They needed something with a larger area of effect if they were going create an opening to get away—or at least give him some breathing room to think of a better plan or strategy.

So he turned to the clones to get it. "Naruto, we need bodies between us!"

The response was nearly instantaneous. The pair of clones both created a set of five each for ten Shadow Clones that formed in front of them. That…was a little underwhelming given the threat that they were facing. Then those ten created enough Shadow Clones that their side of the field was padded out drastically.

Hundreds of clones had been called forth, only to then perform a Transformation technique and create doppelgangers of everyone there. About a third of transformed clones surged forward, running to attack the incoming hordes and Golem to buy time. The others hung back and mixed in to form groups around them to hide the real versions—senbon in haystacks and all.

 _Now that's more like it,_ Shikamaru thought before he felt a tugging sensation that signaled a Substitution in progress. Given what he remembered from the Chuunin Exams, he went along with it and was swapped from his original position with one of the clones that had changed into a copy of him. The moment he touched down in the new position, he was pulled into a crouch with the other people.

All the actual partygoers were there, crouched and hidden from plain sight in an alert state. Or unnerved, like Ayame, whose slender arms were wrapped around Konohamaru. It was an instinctive act to keep him safe as she struggled to keep herself calm at the insistence of the untransformed Naruto clones crouched next to her.

"Naruto, do you know what's going on?" Shikamaru asked the clone he designated Clone A, suspecting it was one of the original two. "This is an orchestrated attack, so there has to be a reason for it."

"They work for Kabuto," Naruto Clone A explained, which said a lot given that Shikamaru knew the gist of what happened during the failed invasion. "They tried to kidnap Karin and me twice now, first during the Finals when you were knocked out and then during that mission when the prison was broken open. I don't know how they got into the village but there's probably three of them, at least."

"How dangerous are they?" Chouji asked next, trying to grasp just how bad the situation was beyond the current nightmare.

"Jounin at a minimum, each with a bloodline ability and a Cursed Seal that makes them even stronger than that," Naruto Clone B said without missing a beat. The notion sent tension threading through their muscles. He then turned to the two toads that were sitting down. "Gamakichi and Gamatatsu, go home and see if your Dad can't get a message to Jiraiya. As for the rest of you, the clones will make an opening for you to escape. Take Ayame and Konohamaru with you and get ANBU."

"That'll be impossible as things stand," Neji said as the pronounced veins bordering his Byakugan pulsed. He was straining them to see further. "The clones are too fragile to last long. They're being overwhelmed between the number of spiders and the Golem. The sniper also looks like he's preparing something to attack over a wider range."

"And even if we escape, Lee and the others are still chasing after the original you," Tenten noted. "Lee's injuries may have been fixed, but if he's still not supposed to push himself too hard just yet. If these guys are really on par with Jounin then—"

Clone A cut her off. "Every clone that's destroyed has its memories and chakra distributed to the remaining ones and the original, so he knows what's going on and can tell the others to get away. Between Lee's speed, Kiba's ability to tunnel straight through the ground with his clan's technique, and Hinata being able to see where they need to go, all three of them should be able to get clear."

 _So that was why they staggered the creation of the clones. It was so they'd have enough chakra to use whatever technique that they have and would keep the original aware,_ Shikamaru figured. The clones that were caught up in holding back the spiders had the least amount of chakra, so them dispersing only returned a trickle of chakra back to every other clone that was still out and the original.

But that trickle of chakra kept the original informed and would compound up if left unbothered. If the original gained the chakra back too fast while still being held by the person who was draining it, then they'd just keep draining him. But if the others managed to get the original Naruto free then he could create a single clone with the returned chakra and dispel it to inform the others to dismiss themselves and return whatever was left for him to use.

The clone shifted his focus down to his hands that he held apart, palms facing each other. He balled them into fist before looking up to them again and said, "I've been practicing a Wind Technique called Air Bullet that I picked up from someone else. I can strengthen it enough to clear out everything if I can get close enough to the Golem by injecting more wind chakra into it, but it'll be too dense for me to throw it and the other clones won't be able to survive it. It's all or nothing at that point, but you should be able to get away then."

"We need to shift our priorities from escaping," Shikamaru said, now able to think with the borrowed time. "While a few of us should get the non-combatants out, I believe it'd be best if the rest of us focused on taking out that sniper once the spiders are cleared."

"It's too dangerous," Clone A said.

"It's more dangerous if we don't," Shikamaru insisted. "First off, the original you is the priority target. Even with what's left of the two-thirds of your chakra returned to the original in end, if this is the third time that they've come after you then they'll have to have some way to account for being able to deal with you fighting back."

"It's fine," Clone B said, looking to the small toads. "If they were going to kill the original then they would have done it the moment they took him underground. The Toads can Reverse Summon him in time if Gamakichi and Gamatatsu head back, so what's more important is that everyone else gets out safely."

"A Summoning Contract is a two-way thing, Naruto," Gamakichi said. "It uses chakra to bridge the gap between the two points in space and then brings the summoned party to the summoner. If they block off your chakra or put you somewhere that bridge can't form, then we won't be able to pull you back."

"Which I'm sure they took into account," Shikamaru continued, riding off that explanation. "And that leads to the second issue. The moment you clear out the spiders, the sniper will flee since he can't reasonably kill us all faster than we can spread out. That means he'll likely use an escape route to join up with the other one. Lee, Kiba, and Hinata aren't exactly equipped to deal with two Jounin-level enemies on their own."

They'd die. Everyone present knew that without the words needing to be said. The other three could possibly manage to deal with the one who took Naruto, or at least get clear of him on their own. But if it became two against three in a pincer attack, then the chances of them living plummeted.

"You have rank on us Naruto, so if it's an order we technically have to listen," Shikamaru continued. "But the Leaf doesn't abandon one of its own. Hinata, Lee, and Kiba all feel strongly enough that they're not going to let you be taken as long as they can move. So that means we need to adapt around that rather than leaving their fate up to chance."

The pair of clones looked between each other silently. They nodded and asked, "What do you have in mind?"

Shikamaru looked up at the sky. "That depends. How wide can you make your Transformation?"

 **[-oOo-]**

 _This is just unnecessary work,_ Kidomaru thought to himself as he worked the silk spun from his mouth with a practiced familiarity. He was atop Kyodaigumo as she hastened her reproduction rate with chakra to produce more offspring to send into the fray. Dozens of them had been set aside to weave a layer of silk to block off the exits around the tree line and layer the ground around it with webbing to ensnare any of the loose threads that managed to get past him.

The precaution wasn't initially part of the plan. They were just supposed to grab the blonde kid and leave the others to be swarmed and devoured. That way the kidnapping didn't tip off the village and they didn't unravel anything about what was going on by chance until it was too late. After all, if one Jinchuuriki went missing they'd definitely check on the other one they had stashed away before he could be unshackled and let loose to devastate the village.

But Kidomaru had to readjust rather quickly since Jirobo had screwed up his part by allowing the target to leave behind those two clones. Even without tapping into the monster inside of him, that blonde kid had enough chakra that the two clones had spawned numbers to rival the spiders they'd had in waiting. There were less clones than there were spiders, but the differences were that the clones could kill more spiders faster than they could kill the clones, and the rate at which they could be replaced were drastically different. And if one made it out of the training field then all of their efforts on this part would come undone.

Fortunately, as long as the others who came to the party were there, the clones would focus on defense. That in mind, he used the head of an arrow he forged to cut through several lines of spider thread that were tied together, each one acting as a sling-shot with chambered kunai nestled within them. With the tethering lines cut, a barrage of kunai were flung forward and sliced through the air onto the battlefield.

They mowed through the army of clones that stood strong, impaling their fragile bodies and dissipating them en masse to thin their numbers. The first line of defense had fallen, allowing the spiders to continue their advance and clean house. The rest of the groupings dispersed to reinforce the line before they were overrun, with the exception of one.

With his third eye open and the rest of the clones no longer hiding them, he could make out that it was the real group. Several of them had taken up defensive positions, putting themselves between the civilian and tiniest shinobi there, who looked as though he was trying to mold more chakra along with the insect-riddled Aburame.

He nocked his bow with two arrows and prepared to take out the two main clones as he witnessed the chakra within them being tinted with the coloring of wind. He wasn't sure what they were planning, but he wouldn't let it get pulled off. But no sooner than he let the arrows loose did the Hyuuga move to intercept them.

In an instant he'd gotten to the front and spun around, exerting his chakra to form a spiraling barrier. The Rotation deflected the arrows, their sharpened points being knocked aside before he came to a stop in the center of a small crater from where the technique had dug into the ground. Then a collection of three clones, all of whom had dropped their Transformations now that the deception had been revealed, raced out past him.

One of the three made hand-seals as they gathered right in the path of the Golem that had been crushing everything that moved around it. Another Transformed into a Demon Wind Shuriken. The remaining clone grabbed the makeshift weapon and then flung it in a manner that sent it flying upwards and forwards as the first let loose the wind technique to give it additional velocity, allowing it to get high in the air above the horde.

The aerial clone then resumed his normal form before changing again. This time into a giant cloth that stretched far and wide, a canopy to blot out the sun. Everything beneath it was covered in shadows as the Nara's own curved and snaked into the larger one.

The horde was frozen in place. Every spider that entered the massive shadow stopped moving. Even those that crawled over the frozen counterparts were trapped, like they had been caught in a sticky trap.

"Now!" he shouted, voice strained as the two original clones rushed forward and the Akamichi swelled in size so the others could take cover behind him. The two primary clones ran forth, unhindered as they ran through the shadows towards the Golem. One supplied an immense amount of wind chakra while the other maintained a chakra casing to hold it all between them.

The moment the distance shrank to zero, the clones slammed the sphere of condensed wind into the Golem. Everything contained within the membrane spilled out at once. And the world trembled as a wall of wind was unleashed with a deafening roar.

It expanded, sweeping up the earth, crushing the spiders caught in its wake, bellowing with a thunderous rumble that drowned out all sounds nearby. Kidomaru could only brace himself as the resulting turbulence swept over him even from his distant perch, threatening to throw him off the Summoning that he was mounted on until the winds died down.

When he opened his eyes again, the spider-user found himself staring out at the crater that had been formed. The Golem had been blown to pieces from being at the nexus of the attack, but it could pull itself back together as long as chakra was still present. The spiders, on the other hand, had been effectively wiped out, unable to flee as their bodies were crushed by the force.

The only benefit was that the remaining clones had been cleared out by the attack. It was indiscriminate in who was caught up in the pressure wave it unleashed, with the other partygoers having been spared by distance and using the bulky Akimichi expansive form as an extra shield while anchoring themselves to the ground. But now nothing stood between them and escaping, even if the Golem managed to repair itself.

 _No sense in sticking around now,_ he decided. Reasonably speaking, there was no way to block them from escaping if they scattered and there was no telling if the webbing he'd put into place hadn't been torn apart by the winds. Not to mention Sakon and Ukon hadn't returned or sent out a signal. _Better to play it safe and make a tactical retreat while we still have the objective._

But before he could take off a blur came into his third eye's view. Instinct kicked in. He reflexively abandoned his perch on Kyodaigumo, lunging for the tree trunk opposite of it and landing just as the wet and crunchy sound of the giant spider's body being blown open reached his ears.

Whipping his head around as she fell to the ground below, the Hyuuga was already moving to attack him again with another Gentle Fist strike. The blow came mercilessly quick, with Kidomaru barely able to force out Sticky Gold silk through his pores an instant beforehand to harden into body-armor beneath his clothes. The palm-strike and chakra discharge that followed immediately sent him rocketing towards the ground.

 _How'd he get here so quick?_ That thought flickered in his mind as the hard-packed and root-strewn soil broke upon his Cursed-Seal tempered backside. There was only minor pain, which was a fair trade-off considering he still had a heart, judging by where his shirt had been torn from the blow. Then he remembered how the Hyuuga had blocked the previous arrows he'd shot.

 _I got it. He used that same technique to block the pressure wave as it passed by him for a split-second, while the others took cover. Then ran behind it as passed through and cleared everything else in his way._

Realizing that, he then retaliated by spitting out a casting net of webbing to pin the Hyuuga down only for him to cut through it with his bare fingers as chakra danced along the edges. The subsequent attempt he resorted to spitting out a sharpened lance of golden webbing instead, to gouge out his opponent's heart.

The Hyuuga dodged, ricocheting off the nearest tree trunk to lunge for another attempt on Kidomaru's life. It came as fast as before, but this time he was ready, secreting his Sticky Gold through the pores of his left arms and used them to intercept the strike. At the same time, he brought his right arms around to bash in his skull.

Yet, the Hyuuga used his extended hand as a springboard to flip over him and then thrust out with the other palm. It would have caught him in the back his head, certain death, had Kidomaru not flung himself forward in a flip of his own while spitting out another net of webbing that was aimed at his opponent's feet. It was blown away by a discharge of chakra from the tenketsu there, but served its purpose in preventing immediate retaliation as the Sound Four's sniper got his feet under himself again.

 _They chose their vanguard well,_ Kidomaru decided after that exchange, as the bits of his hastily formed body-armor clattered onto the ground. Even if the blows of the Gentle Fist couldn't penetrate it, the moment he let his guard down or tried to retreat was the moment that he would get a killing strike somewhere that wouldn't be protected.

If he was going to escape, the Hyuuga had to die first.

 **[-oOo-]**

Jirobo huffed he exited the tunnel he'd created into an underground base that belonged to the subverted faction within the village known as ROOT, knowing he had been followed. He could hear the shouts through the tunnel for the blonde kid who was slung over his shoulders. The boy was drained of chakra with his wrists and ankles in stone cuffs, while a sealing slip was placed on his forehead to prevent him from molding more or accessing his demon.

The Sound Four's earth-user slammed his hand against the wall and then discharged the chakra being used to stabilize it. The rumble of the earth closing into the tunnel was short-lived as it collapsed under its own weight quickly. It was sealed off from anyone else using it in an instant, burying those within it to be crushed by the earth.

 _"You won't… get away… with this…"_ Naruto said, his voice hoarse and soft. Tired.

"I thought I'd taken enough chakra to put you out," he said, before tightening his grip and sapping the remainder of the chakra out of Naruto's body. Because of his bloodline ability, Jirobo could take another person's chakra to use as nourishment. But the kid had a ton of chakra to eat and he was almost full at this point, which was saying something.

That being said, he didn't mind the top off from the boy going limp and silent as he lost the dregs of chakra he had. His target sedated once more, Jirobo then proceeded to follow through with the escape plan. He would meet up with the others outside of the village through the network of underground routes established by ROOT to get in and out of the village, unnoticed by their little detection system.

However, the moment he was about to leave the room, the silence that haunted the chamber was shattered by the sound of earth rupturing beneath the force of a spiraling drill of flesh and bone. The Inuzuka came out of his Passing Fang with stone-dust trailing after him, landing in front of the exit thanks to the momentum and blocking it. The other two emerged from the burrowed-out entrance and flanked him.

Surrounded on three sides, a frown formed on Jirobo's face as he allowed his Cursed Seal to unfurl over his skin. "This is just going to make me hungry again…"


End file.
